A bleak end
by Hollowman1994
Summary: Teams C.F.V.Y., R.W.B.Y. Penny and several Atlesian knights are lead by Prf. Glynda Goodwitch on a joint Grimm extermination mission. But a monster lurks nearby and pushes Penny to make a difficult choice. Can Ruby and her friend survive in the wilderness alone? Who hunts? Who is hunted? And hiding just out of site, the worlds armies gather to wage war.
1. A bleak end

R.W.B.Y.

A bleak end.

Chapter one.

Disclaimer. I do not own R.W.B.Y.

Ruby Rose was running. She was running because she was afraid. She was not running away in fear. Rather she was running to something; someone. She was in deep trouble. She was afraid.

Ruby.

_"My legs hurt." _I thought as I leapt from the bank of a creek and over its grey waters. I landed perfectly despite the pain. Trees flashed by me as I sprinted top speed through the forest of forever fall. Once upon a time I might have called this forest beautiful. Not tonight. "_This is like a nightmare_" I thought.

Rain began to fall and I could hear the sounds of Beowolves behind me. They were catching up. But once they reach me they will die quickly. I could see her by her orange hair. It stood out slightly amidst the red of the forest. Penny was only feet away. I stopped and turned around to face the Beowolves. They DID die quickly.

"Ruby… Stop following me"

Penny had tried to run away from Ruby. To protect her naturally. But Ruby Rose's semblance for speed made it impossible for Penny to run away. So she begged.

"Please Ruby let me fight this. Let me do live up to my destiny…. You'll die if you try to help.

"I won't let you leave me Penny. I won't let you fight this alone!"

Penny had her back to me still but I could almost taste her distress. She was thinking.

"Will we live through this?" I know because I was thinking the same thing.

Six hours earlier.

Ruby.

The air ship rattled and quaked on invisible eddies of air. I imagined we were in a cradle." A cradle being rocked by Zeus throwing a hissy fit." A serious storm was brewing in the north and was headed our way. Team R.W.B.Y., MY team, had been sent on a joint Grimm extermination mission. We departed with team C.F.V.Y. ("Coffee". Coco, fox, Velvet, Yatsuhashi.) Twenty Atlesian Knights, Professor Glynda Goodwitch, Penny and her two body guards. We arrived at the drop zone three miles outside the settlement. It was a plain covered in red grass as tall a Yatsuhashi. We gave ourselves five minutes to stretch and double check our gear and weapons before we began our trek towards the village in distress. We entered the village after an hour of walking briskly through the Forest of grass (The bleeding plains are their official name). Once we entered the village limits we saw a…. An unhappy sight.

"Oh….Oh no." muttered Prf. Goodwitch.

The entire village was slain. The bodies of smoking Grimm lay strewn about, but the smell that really choked us was the villagers decay. We were far too late. Whatever Huntsman or Huntress had been present had already died. The clouds began to grow thick above. I was actually sick to my stomach. I staggered over to the nearest ally and retched. When I finally drew in air to breathe the wind had changed directions. The corps stench had been blasted full onto me, and into my lungs. I did more than retch. I spewed my lunch into the ally and registered both a sick raw heaving sound (coming from my own throat) and a pair of hands holding my hair back as I let fly what little was left in my stomach. Once I finally finished vomiting all over the ally I tried to breathe again. The exertion of heaving into the ally made it impossible to breath. My head was spinning and little lights, like static on a badly tuned television, speckled into my field of vision I inhaled one more time. Got a blast of putrid air AGAIN. Dry vomited so hard my chest seemed to split. Then I passed out.

I woke to chaos.

The sound of Grimm roaring at the top of their lungs was the first sound I registered. Surprisingly I was on my feet already with Crescent Rose in my hands. I was standing and fighting. But, WHEN DID I STAND UP? Yang rocketed past me and slammed into the dirt road that was the only route into the village or out. Weiss flashed forward and rent a Beowulf apart with a burst of red from her blade Myrtenaster. Blake took advantage of the lull in the forward attack to rush over to Yang in concern. After that point I didn't see either of them again. Professor Goodwitch stood before an entire hoard of Grimm alone. But she was not being overwhelmed. What would have been too much for even Blake and Yang together was proving a healthy workout for the deputy headmistress. While wearing heels and a narrow skirt Glynda Goodwitch was visibly the more threatening enemy between the fifteen or so Grimm in front of her, and her own person. She raised her riding crop above her head and from it burst ten foot high arcs of lightning and crackling energy that smote her monstrous dance partners and reduced them to ash. But more Grimm were coming. And more. The tide of black and white armored bodies began to press in on us. Only two of the original twenty Atlesian Knights had been struck down thus far. Team C.F.V.Y. was a force of nature. No creature of Grimm stood before their number and lived. Velvet dashed quick as lightning round and round her opponents and dispatched them when she pleased. Fox and Yatshuhashi were standing back to back as the Grimm tried to pinch them in. But if any beast risked taking a snap or bite at the two the monster died instantly. The young men were simply too powerful to be overwhelmed. Coco was like a goddess of battle. One of the warriors of legend standing before my very eyes. Coco was being altogether ignored by the Grimm. The girl was do dangerous to get within a hundred feet of. She had leveled dozens of Grimm already and had dedicated the rest of her ammunition to keeping the skies clear of Nevermores. And Penny was flying. She dashed and danced and swung her arms and swayed her body, the very image of savage grace. Ten blades were at her disposal, but my android friend used them like ten thousand. I rushed up to stand by her and swinging my scythe I fell in beside Penny in battle. My legs darted, my back arched, my arms never stopped moving once. It was kill or be killed and I had no intention of dying. I kept fighting and fighting until I heard a voice call out.

"EVERYONE THE AIRSHIPS ARE ON APROACH WE MUST RETREAT! WE CAN'T KEEP FIGHTING."

I couldn't tell who spoke but authority supported the tone of the words, Glynda? Maybe. But the order was in to fall back, so we would need to do just that. The air thrummed as two small airships, of a different design from the one we rode in on, dropped in and opened their outer hatches to admit us inside. Professor Goodwitch blasted the road behind us with violet energy as regal in hue as it was deadly. After blasting the ground to cover our backs for escape prf. Goodwitch began shouting orders.

"Team R.W.B.Y. board the craft to our left Penny, Red, Blue accompany them. Tem C.F.V.Y., Knights with me on the one to our right. Let's move people!"

My team and I boarded the craft designated. But only two of us.

"Weiss, where are Yang and Blake?"

My partner turned to me and frowned.

"I don't know Ruby…"

One of Penny' body guards spoke up. (Blue)

"Is that them?"

He said pointing towards the center of Glyndas lightning. Almost in answer Yang burst through the wall of spell woven electricity with Blake over her right shoulder and blood rushing down her left arm. She began running towards the airship nearest, ours, and was shouting at the top of her lungs. At first her calls were inaudible, but she finally made herself heard.

"RUN! GO GO GO! I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS! ITS TOO STRONG GO!"

Yang reached the airship and pounded the pilots' cabin shouting.

"TAKE OF NOW! YOU MORON! TAKE OF NOW!"

The pilot took her words to heed and launched. But unfortunately we all got the chance to meet the Grimm that Yang had fled from. At first I mistook it for one of ours. But the more I looked, the more I saw. It was a walking nightmare. Its body was black as night and without depth like a shadow. Its mask was shaped like a human skull. It looked up at us. Or… ME? The… divergent? Held a ruined knight in its left hand… But suddenly its arm was extended towards us and the ruined robot was smashing into penny who had darted forward to spare me the blow. We crashed down onto the deck of the airship and rolled. Penny was stunned and gripped me around the middle as I slipped off of the edge of the deck and gripped the frame of the door. The rest of my team and Penny's bodyguards had also crashed down as the pilot began whipping around and about to take us home. We accelerated and were over the forest of forever fall in a matter of seconds. Yang had seen my fall but was too stunned from blood loss to do any more than reach towards me. Red darted to me and grabbed my wrist to help pull me in. But the combined weight of both me and penny along with the g-forces was too much. He fumbled. Cursed, and lost his grip.

Penny and I fell.

We landed safely in a small pond, lucky right? It depends on your point of view really. Landing in a pond in the Forest of Forever Fall…. That only sounds half lucky. As best as I could tell we had been able to escape the skies above the bleeding plains but the forest edge was probably no more than three or four miles away from the fortunately place body of water that Penny and I climbed out of. (Dripping wet.) But penny had a look on her face that bothered me.

"Um, Penny? Are you OK?" I took a step towards her as I spoke. But my red haired friend took a step back. Penny looked me in the eyes.

"Ruby… Did you see that Grimm? It looked a lot like a person. Mr. Ironwood thinks that Grimm like the ones we saw today are the next evolution in monsters. And he tells me that fighting this new threat, or ANY threat like it really, is my reason for existing."

I understand what she means. But I won't hear it. I can tell she wants to go and do what General Ironwood conditioned her to do for as long as she has been alive.

But she isn't going anywhere.

"Penny we need to get out of here! Yang and Blake were both messed up by that thing! What makes you think we could do any better?"

"WE won't do anything Ruby. Only me. I exist to fight monsters of a different level than anyone else."

I was both afraid and annoyed, but what penny said next was truly what sent me over the edge with frustration.

"Ruby… You need to go back to Beacon alone, OK? Tell Mr. Ironwood what I found. I have to do this…. Goodbye"

Penny turned to face me. Then a loud metallic sounding burst sounded as two of Penny's blades hurtled out of her backpack and into a tree trunk several hundred feet behind her. The wires that connected her swords to her coiled into her pack wrenching back towards the desolated village. She repeated the process over at the first tree and disappeared.

"NO! Penny stop come back!" I was alone in the forest of forever fall. And Penny was running towards one of the single most destructive Grimm in recorded history. Well more like sideways zip lining-WHY DO DETAILES MATTER?

I called on my semblance for speed and raced through the trees after her. I could hear the calls of Beowolves behind me. They had begun to pursue me. I was exhausted after maybe three hours… Four? Of battling Grimm. But I kept going. I kept running.

Now…

"My legs hurt." I thought as I leapt from the bank of a creek and over its grey waters. I landed perfectly despite the pain. Trees flashed by me as I sprinted top speed through the forest of forever fall. Once upon a time I might have called this forest beautiful. Not tonight. "This is like a nightmare" I thought.

Rain began to fall and I could hear the sounds of Beowolves behind me. They were catching up. But once they reach me they will die quickly. I could see her by her orange hair. It stood out only slightly amidst the red of the forest. But like they say. "Grey eyes are keenest". I happen to have grey eyes. Penny was only feet away. I stopped and turned around to face the Beowolves. They DID die quickly.

"Ruby… Stop following me"

Penny had tried to run away from me. To protect me of course. But my semblance for speed made it impossible for Penny to run away. So she begged.

"Please Ruby let me fight this. Let me live up to my destiny…. You'll die if you try to help.

"I won't let you leave me Penny. I won't let you fight this alone!"

Penny had her back to me, unmoving. But I could almost taste her distress. She was thinking.

"Will we live through this?" I know because I was thinking the same thing.

"Penny this might be your purpose, but it's also my job! I am a huntress of Vale. I fight the creatures of Grimm to protect those who cannot protect themselves. I have a partner Penny. Weiss. She and I fight together! Not apart. Professor Ozpin paired Juan and pyra. And Nora with Ren. My sister Yang with Blake. Coco and Fox, Velvet and Yatsuhashi. Sun and Neptune. Scarlet and Sage. Cardin and Russl. Dove and Sky.

Teams R.W.B.Y., J.N.P.R., C.F.V.Y., C.R.D.L., S.S.S.N. We fight together Penny always! Don't run from me. Let's do this together, OK?" Penny turned to look at me. She had green eyes that glowed with an internal luminescence. They seemed almost afraid but at the same time perfectly sure. They were beautiful eyes. And eyes filled with hope and fear in equal quantities.

"Together? As partners? Like you and Weiss?"

I smiled. She was listening to me. Penny might let me help. It filled me with joy. I was afraid of anything that could hurt Yang. Her semblance to take energy from blows and make herself stronger made her formidable. But if none of that matters to the strange Grimm? I doubted that Penny could take it alone. I doubted that we could take it together. But as I said it's our job. It's our destiny. I flashed forward and took Penny by the hand and pulled her into a gruff hug.

"Just like me and Weiss, except it'll be me and you!" The rain fell around us. Grimm lurked behind every tree. The very leaves stood blood red. We were surrounded by bad omens and WORSE omens and even WORSE monsters. But we were partners, teammates, and friends. We could never possibly fail. It felt that way at least.

"Team CopperRose" I mused quietly. Penny smiled.

A.N.

I think this will be fun. Also I call the Ship CopperRose. The name Nuts and Dolts is cute, but I always felt my name for it was better. This is my second fanfiction and the first time I tried my hand at a R.W.B.Y. fanfic. I hope it's fun. But what do you guys think? Put your thoughts in the comments, and if you have suggestions, tell me. For example what OTHER ships do you want to see? OzpinXGlynda? JuanXPyra? CocoXVelvet? YangXBlake? WeissXNeptune? Tell me and I'll see what happens. Also whatever ships are MOST popular on the side lines of this fanfic, might get their own story later. And just because I failed to list it does not mean I'm not open to hear about it. So fire away shippers! I am one of you!

… I really hope the RoosterTeeth crew reads these…. I would be soooo psyched out… If wishes were changes though. Ah well.

Finally. I have another Fanfiction, "Redemption", however it is not only a hassle to write it is based off of a less appealing series to me. Soul Eater. And while I love that series very much R.W.B.Y. is a whole new level of fun and amazement to me. So it would logically follow that I have more drive to write for it. So I am shelving Redemption for the time being and will instead release a new chapter to my R.W.B.Y. Fanfic every month. Enjoy.

Hollowman1994


	2. When will we fall?

A bleak end.

Chapter 2.

When will we fall?

Disclaimer. I do not own R.W.B.Y.

Ruby.

I woke to thunder.

It shattered the calm of the night and sent shivers down my side. I reached for Crescent Rose and pulled her close as if the sniper/scythe were a teddy bear. The calming effect was just as effective as any stuffed toy would be to a child. After I convinced Penny to let me help her fight the new, and extraordinarily dangerous, Grimm. We searched for a place to weather the storm that had been threatening since dawn. We found a small string of caves hewn into a stout rock face. We wiggled into the tight opening of the smallest one, shoved a rock in the way of the exit, and promptly went to sleep. At least I went to sleep. Once I found myself awake, I discovered Penny was as well. Watching her I wondered if she even needed sleep. Curiosity got the better of me.

"Penny?" She turned to look at me. "I was wondering. Do you sleep?"

It seemed an innocent question. Maybe it was rude to ask an android if they slept, but penny was the only one as far as I knew. Besides I'd already asked. Too late to consider consequences now.

"I do sleep… just… Right now I feel like… I don't really know how I feel. But the feelings are keeping me awake. So for the moment I'm not sleeping."

That bugged me.

"Feelings? What kind of feelings?"

Penny shrugged then started to explain to me as best she could the feelings that apparently made it difficult to sleep.

"I feel… In my chest I feel like something cold has… slipped in? Like an oddly shaped piece of glass was placed inside. It doesn't hurt, but when I first felt it, immediately as the Grimm threw the ruined Knight at you, my whole entire body became weak. I could have easily pulled us both into the airship except… I was crippled by the feeling. I was consumed by it. Then there's another part to it. I felt it when you were being sick in the village. It was as if I was sick too. Just not a physical sickness, I can't get sick like that. Also despite being crippled by the first emotion I was able…. I just NEEDED to make sure you where ok. I was being ripped apart by running from you too. It's more like two sensations really. But they both surface at the same time…. And they both…" Penny lifted her hands up as if she were trying to figure out a math problem, and then slumped onto the cave wall. "Drain me." She finished.

Penny was obviously in distress. And frankly I wished Yang was with us. Yang always knew what to do it seemed. But now… I had an idea of what the fist sensation was. Fear. I'd felt it when my mother died. I remember how I could TASTE it when the Nevermore in the Emerald Forest tried to mow me down with its feathers. I remembered the way I seemed to be drowning in it when the Death Stalker came up behind me to crush me like a bug immediately after. Fear sucks. It immobilizes you, weakens you and breaks you down to your most basic elements. Fear ignores your defenses and can't be battled against once it has you in its cold grip. It destroys you. But the rest of what Penny said? I supposed she just didn't want me, her first friend, to be killed. That was normal.

"Ruby?" I jerked back to alertness. I'd been taking a little while to answer.

"Oh. Sorry for spacing out! Well I think you're afraid is all. It's an awful feeling but it's one that all huntresses need to be able to coup with." I smiled. "I'll help you Penny. It's no biggie"

She smiled widely, looking reassured, and then she slumped back into the cave wall looking like a kicked puppy. I'm not too sure she can display a wide array of emotions… Or hide her feelings from others. I wasn't sure what the future would bring. But I knew it would suck if I was tired. So I rolled back over and tried to snatch some sleep before the morning.

Morning came dry from the sky, but damp everywhere else. Outside of our little cave the skies could only be called gloomy. Slate grey and no proper sunlight were all that could be seen above. The air whispered coolly against my face. I shivered. Penny stretched her arms up and twisted her back. I could hear metallic pops as she warped her skeleton. I was instantly spellbound.

Penny.

Ruby and I woke to discover the sky was still grey, but that the rain had stopped. I was exhausted from the previous day and could scarcely get any sleep last night. My internal diagnostics told me that the current temperature was approximately 59 degrees Fahrenheit. It wasn't information that was particularly important, I couldn't be bothered by atmospheric conditions unless they were extreme. My body won't overheat unless it is exposed for 30 minutes in extremely humid, 280-degree-Fahrenheit heat. Nor will my frame freeze unless my temperature drops to -210 degrees Fahrenheit. Ruby on the other hand seemed bothered by the low temperature. I looked out towards the red hued trees and took several paces forward. I reached upward stretching out my stiff muscles (My muscles are a metallic compound stronger than steel) then I planted my feet and twisted my back to pop my spine. Just like human beings a fluid wells up in between my joints and can be popped with just the same sound as a human backbone. I twisted three times working out every kink and crimp. I noticed Ruby had stopped walking and seemed to be staring at me. I turned to see that she was doing more than simply staring. She looked mesmerized. It made me self-conscious. I hugged myself.

"Ruby? The sound doesn't bother you does it?"

Ruby made no move to answer. She simply looked me up and down like I was the most fascinating thing she had ever seen.

"Ruby… Are you alright?"

My red clad friend shook her head. Like she was waking herself up. Ruby's eyes look as if they are trying to refocus. Ruby blushed.

"Oh! Shoot sorry Penny I didn't realize I was staring. You're just really, really pretty!"

That was the absolute last thing that I had expected to hear from, essentially, anyone. It was my turn to blush…. Sorta-kinda blush, my face gets warmer, but the hue doesn't change. An invisible blush if you will.

"Wait what? Pretty? Ruby I um. Thank you uh…"

Ruby had completely missed my embarrassment. And exhilaration. She approached and made it apparent what she meant by "Pretty"

"Seriously Penny I just can't get over how **human** you are functionally! I love it! My sweet baby could be improved VASTLY if I could study your body just a little bit."

As she spoke she drew her weapon Crescent Rose. Of all the weapons I had ever seen, this one was perhaps one of the most deadly AND sophisticated. I understood what she was saying. I was "pretty" from a technological standpoint. Ruby was the kingdom of Vales resident gearhead. Ruby was a grease monkey and an outstanding engineer. I am in her eyes the epitome of "cool" or "sleek" perhaps "remarkable". The realization that she was only geeking out left a bitter taste in my mouth. I wasn't sure why I responded the way I did… And oddly I couldn't look at Ruby anymore. I turned away abruptly.

Ruby.

I vaguely noticed Penny turned her back to me, but I was so_ fascinated_. I only had eyes for the enigmatic details that lay hidden beneath her skin.

What is her skeletal configuration? Does she have blood? How strong is her body? Are her muscles hinges and sockets? Or maybe there like human muscles but a stronger substance? Oh god… How is her BRAIN structured? That must be the single most sophisticated computer on all of Remnant! I wonder if she can eat or even needs food. Does she need to recharge? I know that she sleeps, but is that a function for storing energy, or is it just a kind of stand-by mode to make her appear asleep? Oh! What are her internal organs like? I can't see why she would need lungs or entrails or a liver, so what is it like under her skin? I wonder if she-

"Ruby? I think it's probably a good idea to begin looking for the Grimm."

Penny had brought me down from a near manic tech-high. But I still understood the need to be cautious and to complete the mission we had decided to undertake. My orange haired comrade began walking west (The direction of the village in between the Bleeding Plains and the Forest of Forever Fall.) I followed with Crescent Rose in sniper form, the stock pressed against my arm. The hunt is on!

Sundown. Ruby.

The sun shone blood red re-shading the white fabric of Penny's clothing crimson. The lines of green along the length of Penny's dress had turned an unappealing brown. The entire landscape was absolutely terrifying. Everywhere I looked I felt as if the two of us stood in a chapter of _Dante's Inferno_.

I had high hopes of finding this Variant Grimm and destroying it quickly… But maybe I should have hoped for it to have run off. Penny and I walked into the center of the ruined village. Penny stood on my right side with her a grand total of twenty floating swords balanced in thin air behind her, ten blades above either shoulder. I had my hood drawn over my head and shoulders. I clutched Crescent- Rose in sniper form beneath the folds of the red fabric of my cape; I intended to get the drop on this monster if it could be done at all.

The stench was still terrifying. But a new terror decided to welcome us into the village.

"Ruby, to the left"

Penny quietly warned.

I turned to get a look at what was on approach. It was the variant.

The fourth born…

Blood. Flesh. Bone. I.. Hungry. Kill the female sword.. Take the other.. I.. want.. The red female. Her body… Her screams… her womb… I… I am...

"I am King."

I charge.

Ruby…

The variant was chilling. Its mask was no different than a human skull. Its, his, hands looked like a humans hands, and so did its feet. It had a rock solid body. I like guys, I like girls, I get that if any guy I knew had a body like that I would never call it a body. I would call it a "Bod". So yea physically (From the neck down) the monster in front of me was HOT. That repulsed me in ways that I will never be able to style with words. I could explain my disgust at my twisted attraction with a blood curtailing scream. But I won't. The monster stood about fifteen feet away. CLOSE. I would not, could not, miss at this range. I prepared to lift my gun and fire. Then the Grimm did something that made my blood run ice cold.

It spoke.

"I am King."

I froze. The Grimm leapt into action moving like a shadow, soundless, swift and fast. Penny leapt in front of me as quickly as she could, sending her blades into absolute overdrive. My friend became my defender, my shield. Penny transformed herself into an impenetrable wall. The incandescent blades slashed and spun, stabbed and sliced, twisted and curled. All the while blood red light shone off of the blades like lacerations in the fabric of the world. The sight was as alarming to the eye as it was astonishing. Not Yang or Weiss or Coco, or ANY of the Huntresses or Huntsmen I knew would be able to slip through the storm of swords that Penny had called forth to defend us. But the Grimm did, like it was a walk in the park. With a backhanded blow Penny and her blades were sent flying into the building to our left. The flailing razors liquefied the wooden house like crackers in a blender. Then I felt a sharp pain in my right arm that quickly escalates beyond my ability to perceive. The "King" had wrapped his hand around my arm and squeezed.

"Mine."

The monster hissed. But it made a fatal mistake. I'm left handed. I whip my left arm up, fast as lightning and twice as deadly, and shove the barrel of the rifle into the monsters mouth. I pull the trigger.

Penny…

I call forth all my rage and my fear and focus. I direct that single-minded wrath into my blades and put a spin and twist on them like never before. I will cut this monster down. I will do it! I- just flew sideways. The world spins around me I hear a loud sheering sound and the tinkling of glass. My head hurts. Did I just get hit by a building? I black out for, a few seconds perhaps?

"Ruby?"

I groan. Every part of me aches. Servos are defiantly busted; backups might work with divine mediation. I look up and see a ruined shell of wood and stone peppered with my swords. Ruby is standing in the road wear I left her. But I notice something off. The sun should be set by now right? Then why is it still setting. When we entered the village it was setting in our eyes, only just kissing the horizon. The sun was STILL just kissing the… its sunrise, not sunset. Ruby has been standing exactly where I left her for twelve hours. I stop thinking and run.

"Ruby, Ruby! Are you ok? Say something! Please!" I'm right next to her pleading, too afraid to touch her. She's standing in a puddle. I look at it closely; I think that it's Ruby's' own blood. Ruby turns to me with a blank expression. Her skin is typically rosy and cute. Today it looks like a death mask. Ruby Rose turns to me like a frightened toddler. She draws in a rattling breath; her voice comes as a rasp.

"P….P-Penny. I… am so." Ruby's face twisted in pain and terror. 'Penny I'm _cold_. Please help me _please_"

She begins to cry. I look wildly around for anything that could help. The first thing I notice is the evaporating corpse of the variant. Its head is completely gone. Bits of white mask litter the dirt path in a way that suggest Ruby shoved a grenade in its mouth. But that could have only been luck. Sheer blind dumb luck. The Variant didn't fear either one of us. It tossed me aside like a rag doll. It felt like it had no reason to be cautious with Ruby, as it may have appeared that I was the only threat. Ruby's Semblance for speed was also a likely x-factor in the victory over the Grimm. If we had been perceived as serious threats, we would both be dead. It was the Grimm's arrogance that saved our lives. Not our skill or our determination. Not our training or tenacity. We stuck our heads into a guillotine and by the grace of every god and false god in all reality. We were spared. I numbly walked over to the tainted corpses of one of the slain villagers that we had come to protect. It was a girl, maybe fifteen or sixteen. Except for her missing left arm and leg, she was pretty. If I ever have a daughter I want her to look that pretty. Father says he can find a way to make it possible for me to have children. To be a mother, as long as I don't tell general Ironwood at least, father would find a way. The copse looked like a porcelain doll. She had beautiful golden hair, which looked auburn in the light of the rising sun. She wore khaki pants, and the brown vest she wore over a grey V-neck shirt almost, but not quite, made her look tomboyish. A brown leather hat lay next to her body. It looked similar to the kind of hats bikers were. She might have liked bikes. Or maybe she found it stylish. She didn't have on any shoes. I crouched down and pulled her vest off, and then I tugged her shirt over her head. She was bare underneath. I ripped her shirt into strips and turned away from the half nude ruin of a girl and walked back to Ruby. I checked her body over until I found that it was her right arm that was bleeding. I felt the useless limb and decided I would need to set the bone. Without warning or preamble I gripped her arm and set her broken forearm. She twitched and several tears slid down her cheeks.

I ripped Ruby's sleeve of and began winding the makeshift bandages around her arm. I turned to the building that my blades had ruined and picked up two pieces of thin wood both about eight inches in length. Striding over to the still silently weeping huntress I took the shards of house and fashioned a splint for Ruby's arm. I turned to the house one last time. I called on my blades. The power symbol on the guards of each sword glowed green. Then, responding to my call, the twenty razors that made up my weapon lifted up into the air lined up behind me vertically in a straight line. I compressed the swords down into a single blade, I folded the now single weapon in half with a command and at last stowed it in my "backpack" the "sheath" for my weapons. A single photograph caught my eye, part of the wreckage. I noticed it because it was the smiling face of the girl I just stripped. This must have been that girl's home. The upper left corner of the picture was cut, but other than that one flaw the image was pristine. I flipped the photo over. It read: Blanca, age 14, 6th Era. 99. The girl's name was Blanca. I threw my head back and laughed, my mirth wasn't brought forth from amusement. It was from anguish and misery. "Blanca" means "White". That poor girl died at the age of fifteen judging from the date on the picture, the current date was 6th Era.100. The one-hundredth year of the sixth Era only a year more than the pictures date. She lived for fifteen years with a name that meant "White". She was pretty and had a cute smile as the photo proved, she was a happy person, and she was MEANINGLESS; all the way down to her NAME, empty, just another disposable soul. Blanca. I suddenly found myself staring down at Blanca's cold expressionless face her small chest directly beneath mine, her skin as pale as her names meaning. She was a ghost, a phantom she didn't even matter! I knew that I wasn't even afforded the luxury to BURRY her. I felt warm arms around my chest and could hear soothing words that did nothing to bring this girl back. I wasn't laughing anymore. I was sobbing.

"WHY? WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DIE? IT'S NOT FAIR!"

I was shouting at the top of my lungs at a girl who I had never known, who never had any idea that I existed who would never grow up, or do anything for the world, be it bad or good. I was on my hands and knees shouting at a girl who had been dead for two days, screaming about fair and unfair like it could change something. I reached down for the girl and held her like she was my dead sister I held her because she deserved it. My embrace was the last respect she would get from the living. And being an android I barely even qualified as "Living". Then I heard it, the voice of reason; the sweet music of the voice of an angel.

Ruby…

Penny was in hysterics, she had picked up a photograph in the house the Variant had thrown her into and then started laughing like she had gone completely insane. She twisted and stumbled out of the wreckage over to a half-naked body, lying in the road. She stumbled over her own feet just shy of the body, and then crawled the rest of the way. She hovered over the dead girl with her knees on either side of the lost girl's hips and her palms over the girl's shoulders. Then her breath heaved mid laugh and exploded into a screech of anguish. Penny yelled about fair and unfair. In her suffering I saw something. Penny was more than a machine; so very much more. A chill crept up my spine. She is a girl, lost and afraid. She has few friends in the entire world and is the only android in existence. I love her too. I love her. I've been in love before, three times, two guys and one girl. It feels, in hindsight, like my attraction to them was a tame feeling. And now that I stop to use the brain in my skull, I realize that Penny viewed me in a more romantic light than I had initially realized. It was Penny who held my hair back when I was being sick in the Village alley, she had been hurt when I called her pretty and then proceeded to compare her to my weapon versus a human girl. I told myself that she was a person to me. I had lied to myself.

I looked on miserably as Penny wailed in fear at a cruel fact that I had already learned when my mother died fighting Grimm. People die, the strong, the weak, the wealthy, the poor. There is no rhyme or reason, no logic is found in it. People die and that's it. I walked over to her went to my knees and embraced her from behind. I held penny closely and warmly. She slumped down onto the dead girl holding her close like a dead relative; I noticed the photo she had picked up it was lying on its face, and I could see that it had been labeled with the girl's name. Blanca.

I got the cruel joke now. The dead girl's name reflected her life; empty, innocent, meaningless, and white.

"Penny. Honey its ok. Listen to me. She's gone, all of them are gone. We can't help them now except by going back to Vale. We need to tell General Ironwood and Professor Ozpin. We need to be ready to face off with a monster like the variant and survive the encounter on purpose. We need to leave. We need to become stronger so we can protect other people from Blanca's fate. We need to go home."

Penny choked out one last sob, nodded and let Blanca go. She stood, I wrapped my left arm around her shoulder, she lifted her right arm down to my waist. In that fashion we walked over to Crescent Rose which had fallen from my grip after I shot the variant. I retrieved my weapon and pulled out my scroll with my injured arm, blinking at the pain. I turned it on, no signal, so I activated my map app. I located our position and pointed us towards the kingdom of Vale. Limping and fatigued Penny and I began the trek back home.

A.N.

…..I was just as surprised as you guys when I typed this. I DID draw out a story line… But Man I am NOT using it! HA! I do hope however that you, the readers, are enjoying my work. This won't count as the January addition to "A bleak end" it's a new year's gift. But don't expect chapter three until late January, not the 30th more like the 20th-ish. But I hope you guys will leave a review so I can take this in a direction that you might like to see it go. It is implied that there are at least three more variant Grimm out there since when I briefly slipped into the variants POV he was described as "The forth born" There will be more. Think of the power struggle in feudal Europe between the first born son of a king and the second. First come first serve and his little brothers get the scraps. The scenario between this Grimm and his siblings is going to be similar. But it will be uglier. I want to also know if you want to see character deaths. Can you stomach watching characters drop like flies? We will see. Happy new year.

.Hollowman1994


	3. Aftermath, part 1

R.W.B.Y.

A Bleak end

Chapter 3

Aftermath, part 1

A.N.

To the readers: My most sincere apologies for disappearing this last month. My Thumb drive went missing then I got slammed by work. But I have convinced myself to write again. Let's go.

I do not own R.W.B.Y.

**From on high**

The stars shine brilliantly overhead.

Imagine a dirt road extending out before you. To your right is a Forest with leaves red as blood. To your left is a lake. This lake is not just "A lake" it reaches over a mile to the north (Your left is North) and is nine miles East to West. Behind it standing like peaceful guardians are two enormous mountains that are reflected off of the lake perfectly. The stars and moon, shattered as it is, are also reflected beautifully off of the still waters. It is the dead of night. So late but so early that the entire world sleeps. The nocturnal animals have retired to their dens and burrows for the day and the birds and beast that thrive in sunlight still wait for the sun to herald the new day. However Ruby Rose and Penny walk regardless of the late hour. After all they still have three days of walking to reach the Kingdom of Vales Northern Gate. So stopping to rest has become a luxury. At least that's how the two girls see it. Neither The enigmatic android nor the supersonic Huntress wants to close their eyes. Both of the girls fear what waits for them in unconsciousness. What they fear seeing are their own troubles and terrors. Ruby has come to the conclusion that Penny has feelings for her. Ruby Rose herself has discovered that she can quite easily love Penny back. However this is the part that is difficult. Ruby will not tell Penny what she has discovered. She will not allow herself to fall in love. The red clad teen's elder sister, Yang Xiao Long, Once referred to Ruby's mother as "Super mom; Baker of cookies and slayer of giant monsters." Summer Rose was indeed as she is described. But one day she embarked on a mission… And she never came home. Ruby was too young to really understand what was going on, however her heart was still broken. Ever after she harbored a private fear of strong emotional ties to others, especially Huntresses or Huntsmen. The only exception is her sister. Yang is Powerful enough, even in her youth, that Ruby never feared for her once. Ruby Rose's thoughts are chaotic. She's beginning to fall apart.

Penny is torn as well, however her attraction to Ruby (Ruby was VERY correct about it) is currently the farthest thing from her mind. Three days previous she and Ruby fought with a divergent Grimm. Frankly when the order came in to retreat from the first battle Penny was more than ready to do just that. Yet when she and Ruby fell from the escape ship Penny was not particularly keen on getting back to Vale. She felt compelled, since she was now back on the ground anyway, to track down and kill the divergent. She got help from Ruby, of course, the two of them becoming "Team CopperRose". The two of them fought the monster. Both of them nearly died in the process. Someone however did die. Not during that particular bout but certainly the girl did perish; a girl whose name was discovered to be "Blanca". Penny had so far been able to ignore the collective failures of so many Huntsmen, Huntresses and even Atlesian Knights. She was able to ignore the fact that so many (Penny included) had failed so miserably at their job to protect those who could not protect themselves; when a name was given to one of the deceased who she had been unable to save. It drove home like a bullet from a gun. Penny lost her self-control her level headedness. She freaked out. Crying and screaming. She was afraid. Penny had never been so frightened in her life (Young as she is). The Android had an emotional breakdown. She still is as a matter of fact; she just has a firmer grip on her self-control at this point.

As both of our heroines are walking in (slightly hysterical) silence and nothing else it is time to see what's going on across Vale….

**Juan**

"The public train charges WAY too much." I grumble to myself as the M.A.T. (Magnetic Acceleration Train) pulls to a stop in front the Industrial districts M.A.T. station in one of the somewhat shadier parts of said district.

"This place looks…" I look left then right "Like a slum." I conclude.

But I have stuff to do so I start walking. Why am I walking in a slum and what "Stuff" could I have to do hear? Well the goal is to find my friend Yang. After that? Well I just got off the train so give me a few minutes to figure the rest out.

After asking a guy in a black suit wearing sunglasses where I can find Junior Xiong's nightclub it takes me only another five minutes to find the place. Two guards are at the door. Both of them look like the guy I asked for directions. They look like criminals to me.

"Stop" Says the one on the left. "Listen kid this place is closed for the day. Get lost"

I shrugged. "I'm looking for a friend, another friend of mine said I could probably find her hear."

"I don't care." He stares at me like he wants to stab me. "Now get lost."

"Listen fellas I don't want any trouble, I just need to see my friend, apparently she can come and go as she pleases so she could easily be inside despite you guys being closed. So seriously can you just let me in?"

Both of the guards look at each other for a long second. "Well I'm bored. What about you?"

"Ha, OK let's waste this punk" Both men draw their…. Wait a minute, Red bladed Katanas? Oh crap.

"Get him!" The thugs charge me down.

The one on the right swings high, so as I draw my sword. I bring it in a full arch blocking him. My left side is exposed- Lefty swings, but I grab my scabbard and punch the button on it.

"Shink, CLInk" My shield is fully extended.

I've got both of their swords blocked, but just for a heartbeat, I shove back.

Lefty goes for a thrust, I block, Righty goes for the vertical swing, but my long sword is heavier AND I can use it as fast as he can use his Katana, I swing horizontal, "PING" I hit his sword HARD, his body jerks to his left, I Shove Lefty into the building and aim a blow at Righty from on high, He jerks away, but it's too late, I've got him.

The wound isn't mortal it's just his sword arm. I turn to Lefty He's up and swinging I block with my shield.

Then he swings vertical, I trap his sword for half a second between my shield and blade, I lash out.

"Spaat"

"Argh!"

I'd slashed him from right shoulder to left nipple. Once again not a mortal wound, but it was enough to incapacitate. I walk through the open door and close it behind me. Then I Drop it like it's hot. "Boom! I wish Pyrra had seen that!" I'm still dropping it when I hear a familiar voice behind me.

"I did see that." I winced around to see Pyrra right behind me.

"Pyrra, what are you doing here?" I asked. The aptly named "Invincible girl" blushed.

"Well Juan when Blake told me that you were trying to track down Yang AND that it was in a bad part of town I sorta kinda. Um…." She trails off but I get it.

"You didn't think I could handle the bad side of town buy myself did you?"

Pyrra's blush deepened. "I'm so sorry Juan, It was wrong of me to assume you couldn't handle this alone, you aren't angry with me are you?"

I give her a warm smile. "No way it's all right. Besides If you hadn't followed me you wouldn't have got to see me in action." I Shrugged. Anyone else might have been miffed but she only tailed me because she cared. So it didn't bother me.

"Come on Pyrra, let's go find Yang."

Pyrra smiled serenely. "You lead I'll follow"

As we walked through the complex the sound of dance music became louder; until finally we passed through a door into a huge dance hall.

The music was blaring loud. Both Pyrra and I could see dozens of goons like the ones I trashed, quite literally HIDING, from one Blonde bombshell slumped over the bar.

The music pulsed on…

"Listen up, strap in, notify your next of kin,

You're about to take a ride a little on the blazing side,

Guzzle down your Red Bull, you're gonna need a bucket full,

You're watching me accelerate and tear apart the interstate."

The two of us began to descend the small flight of steps into the large room.

"A certified monster I'm an absolute trip,

Like Otis Redding, hard to handle so you better get a grip,

A super-fast, superfly, bonafide wise guy.

Call the morgue and say goodbye, write your will; it's time to die"

Behind the bar stood another man dressed like he owned the place. He was in a cold sweat.

"Caffeine. I'm caffeine.

Caffeine. I'm caffeine.

I'm a bad dream.

I'm a rad scene.

I'm a tad mean.

But I'm not afraid to take you out."

We approached the bar. Yang was haggard. She looked like she needed sleep. She looked like she'd soaked her head in Scotch whisky and bailed on the water. She looked like a mess.

Pyrra looked at our friend in disgust. Drew her sword from her back and changed it to its rifle function. Twisted and aimed at the stereo.

I'm a cheetah on the plains, I'm a highway star,

A supersonic princess in a million dollar car,

Blood on fire pumpi-"BANG"

Yang jumped in her seat in response to the sudden gun fire and the song cutting off. Junior Xiong (I assume that's who the bartender is) also jumps, in response to HIS stereo system getting shot.

"What?! Who-wha?!" Yang spins around to see Pyrra with her rifle on her hip and myself with my thumbs in my belt. "Juan, Pyrra? What are you guys hear for?"

Junior seems to deflate as he realizes that the blonde she-bear making a den out of his nightclub is not going to turn on us.

Pyrra glares at Yang in disappointment. Then she speaks up.

"Yang coming here was Juan's personal mission. But I have words for you myself."

Yang cocked an eyebrow but otherwise remained still.

"Yang, this is pathetic. I know you're terrified by your sisters' disappearance. But it is no excuse to wallow in self-pity and fear."

"Hear, hear!" Said Junior.

"Shut up." Was Pyrra's response. Junior shrank back into his bar, sullen. Yang snickered at the criminal.

"You shut up too yang." Yang tried to NOT shut up. But Pyrra cut her off. "NO. I won't hear it. This needs to STOP. You need to take charge of your sisters' team. Weiss and Blake need you. Both of them are as distraught as you are at Rubys' fall, but they are even MORE upset at your absence. Two parts of their lives are gone. Ozpin is considering putting the whole team on leave, but it won't be for more than a week. Keeping in mind the monster in your report you might be asked to return to the field even sooner."

I finally decide it's time to interject.

"Yang." The brawler turns to me looking sullen and sick.

"Weiss has been sleeping in Neptune's arms for the last twelve hours. Blake has been sitting on top of a bookshelf in the library for just as long. They aren't eating. It was hard enough when Blake woke up and Ruby wasn't there. But now YOU aren't there either."

Yang seemed to be listening. Good maybe coming hear wasn't a wasted effort.

She smiled at us. Like she thought something was funny; turns out something was funny to her.

"Juan I remember when you were the womanizing dorky vomit- boy." She smiled warmly and turned to Pyrra. "I see why you've got the hots for him." She winked at Pyrra's bewildered expression.

"P-Pyrra?!" I try looking her in the eye… She won't meet my gaze.

**Yang**

I begin walking out of Juniors. (Without a backward glance at the loser in question)"I ship it." I say with a grin, as my stroll out the door turns into a hasty retreat. Pyrra has recovered enough to be pissed at me. I start dodging rifle fire laughing all the while. It was so good to laugh again. It was even better to know that once pyrra's tantrum passes. I'll have some of the best friends in the world.

Within five minutes I'm straddling my bike busting the speed limit wide open. As the wind whips my hair behind me like a cape of molten gold I relent. Pyrra and Juan are right. My teammates need me. As a matter of fact now that I'm not totally blinded by my own wallowing I can see that they need me the same way that Ruby so often has. They need a guide, a safe harbor. And the more I think about it I need Blake specifically in a somewhat more selfish way. Or you could say I want to kiss the friend zone with her goodbye. I'll wait for a healthier place before I tell her that I like her better as a more-than-friend. But until then I'll be there for her. Weiss should be alright for the moment. But I'll need to rescue Neptune from her soon. Poor guy he's probably totally at a loss for what to do. The days getting late and my teammates need me.

I burn rubber.

**Blake**

The Library lights go out. But I don't care. It makes no matter to me. I know what it's like to live in the dark to live alone. I know how it feels to watch my back even while I sleep. I know what it feels like to be afraid. I know how it feels to be alone. With team R.W.B.Y. I was never alone. Sometimes it bugged me. But I very quickly discovered that with Ruby, Weiss and Yang I had found family. I wasn't alone. When I woke up three days ago it was to see a bandaged Yang and a grim faced Weiss looking over me. When I started asking where Ruby was their reactions cut me to the quick. I only got as far was "Where's?" Before Yang's face twisted in pain and Weiss twisted around and left the room. They knew who I was asking for. And neither one of them could stand to say it out loud. Within the day I was recovered. The three of us found ourselves standing numbly in our dorm as Ozpin filled us in on the mission results. General Ironwood was beyond angry at Penny's loss. But the Headmaster could barely stand to watch us in our heartbreak. He looked on us with sadness equal to our own. "I'll leave you three alone." He left quickly, not wanting to disturb us any longer than necessary.

I awoke with a start. I had fallen asleep up hear. I wondered at what point my memory of Ozpins' visit became a dream. But then I realized that I hadn't simply woken up. Something was on top off my bookshelf with me. Before I could start running I was suddenly warm. Something soft and warm had enveloped me I blinked in surprise and then blinked more in continued surprise as I noticed the wetness on my face; tears. I'd been crying in my sleep, and still was, as Yang's arms wrapped around me and her hand began to pat my heaving back.

"Shh. It's OK Blake. I've got you now and I'm so sorry for running off. With Ruby gone you need more of me not less. I'm sorry." Yang didn't move me from the top of the self. She took me in her arms sat in my former position and rocked me slowly back and forth, rocked me to a snooze, crooning that she had me, saying that she loved me, whispering me to sleep. I felt safe and loved. After three days of fear I was home. I'm home.

The moon watched from on high.

At this angle it looks perfectly round. It looks whole. Like me.

For now.

AN.

Ladies and gentlemen please allow me to apologize for my extended absence.

I have been bogged down by work, distance from a library, death of a computer, and the passing of the esteemed Monty Oum the creator of Metroid, lead animator at Rooster Teeth, the creator of R.W.B.Y. and voice of Lie Ren in the same series. The passing of this titan and kind soul has humbled and devastated the RT community. And drove home the entire theme of this story for me; Mortality. For a heartbeat I considered giving up this fanfiction, but decided ultimately that I would not. Monty Oum was my inspiration while he lived. I refuse for his passing to dispel my admiration for him. This story will continue until I decide it has come to a suitable conclusion. I promise.

Any suggestions you may have will be appreciated greatly. If you liked then please comment. Thank you.

Rest in peace Monty Oum.

Hollowman1994.


	4. Chapter 4 Aftermath, part 2

R.W.B.Y.

A bleak end

Aftermath, part 2

I do not own R.W.B.Y.

**Ruby**

Three days after penny and I passed the mountain lake. My impromptu teammate and I find ourselves standing before one of the Kingdom of Vales greatest achievements, "Gate North". This monstrous gate stands over five-hundred feet tall and sports cannons capable of sniping Nevermores effortlessly and strong enough to shatter a Deathstalker with ease; Manned by Vales most skilled marksmen with dozens more long range tactical weapons at their disposal. The five gates that allow entry into the City of Vale are all very heavily fortified. However the Forest of Forever Fall breeds many fearsome Grimm. So the Northern gate has become stronger over the centuries to combat the threats that lurk in the bloody landscape to the north. The gate looks just like the fortress that teams R.W.B.Y. and team J.N.P.R. destroyed during our battle with the Deathstalker and Nevermore in the Emerald forest to the east of Beacon, before our official assemblages into the teams we are today. The only two distinctions between the gate we trashed and the gate before Penny and I now are; the size and the external fortifications. "Gate North" sits in a river that flows from the east to the west and into the distant ocean. The Emerald forest fortress stood at roughly two-hundred feet, which makes Vales northern gate a little over twice the height. I can plainly see rotating cannon turrets eyeballing the two of us from several of the lower levels. We approach the primary gate. A head pokes out from fifty feet up.

"Identify yourselves immediately." Shouted a stern female voice, the woman was a sentry.

I look up and try to reply. I cough instead, after close to a week without talking my voice seems to have taken a vacation, I cough some more, then clear my throat successfully.

"My name is Ruby Rose, I attend Beacon academy and lead second year team R.W.B.Y. My friend" I gesture to Penny, who smiles sweetly. "Is an auxiliary Huntress from Atlas. Her name is Penny. She is under General Ironwood's authority."

The Sentry darted back between the crenellations.

Penny turns to me. "Is she allowed to take us at our word? Shouldn't she be asking for some form of official identification?"

I shrug in response. "You've never had to pass this gate on foot right?"

She shakes her head.

"There are six different doors before we reach the actual fortress. There will be murder holes directly above us and incendiary vapor sprayers on either side of us. Then there are the electro mines that can be activated if a threat is detected. This gate can't be taken by force. Too many guns, bombs, flamethrowers, ballistic cannons, rockets, missile launchers and acoustic cannons (to disorient assailants.) These guys don't care about our official information until its way too late for us to turn back and it has become impossible to fight back. At the towers base is when they actually try to get our certified info."

Penny's left eyebrow began twitching. I understood perfectly. The towers aren't the only things that have been armed, big-time. The walls, roofs and floors were too.

Obviously I am so passionately in love with this gate that I have an odd impulse to pray to it sometimes. It has almost every range weapon imaginable and then a few unique to this one stretch of wall.

The gate in front of us began to lower itself into the ground to reveal another gate rising into the roof of the tunnel to reveal two more heavy metal doors sliding diagonally into the tunnel walls. A low humming noise reminded me that the gates are sealed magnetically. This means that even plasma can be deflected from the doors; A formidable defense.

My red haired partner and I began walking once the doors had fully opened. Once on the other side the doors shut and the exact same process was repeated with the second gates. Then the third, fourth, and fifth gates admitted us and then sealed shut behind us until we stood before the last gate. A voice echoed around the chamber.

"We are going to lower a console into the lock-room. From there you can input any information that might verify your identities." The computer in question began its descent into the room via a mechanical pillar. Once it rested in front of us and the screen flashed to life, the voice gave us the go ahead.

"You may proceed."

I stepped forward and placed my Scroll on a scanner built into the side of the interface. (Even out of battery it can still be read as mine). The screen loaded for a second…..

"PING…. Subject identified as… Ruby Rose. Race, Human. Gender, Female. Custody, Independent. Parents, Tia Yang Xiao Long(Fa)[Active] Summer Rose(Mo)[Dec]. Sibling(s), Yang Xiao Long (Half-sister). Sexual Orientation, N.R. {Volunteered as _Bisexual_ by (Ruby Rose)} Height, 5'4. Handedness, Left. Eye color, Silver. Hair color, Black. complexion, Pale white. Weight, 112.2lbs. Marital status, Single. Maternity status, No children. Status, M.I.A. (Missing In Action.). Semblance, Speed. Weapon, (C) H.C.S.S. ((Customizable) High-Caliber-Sniper-Scythe) AKA, Crescent Rose. Age, seventeen. Occupation, Student/Huntress in training. School, Beacon Academy [Headmaster Prf. Ozpin]. Previous Education, Signal Academy. Known mentors, Proffesors, Qrow Xiao-Long, Glynda Goodwitch, Bartholomew Oobleck, Peter Port. Known enemies, Human, Roman Torchwick[Criminal] Grimm, [in general] . Year, Second. Status, Team leader. Team, R.W.B.Y.["R"] Teammates, Weiss Schnee(H), Blake Belladonna(N/A), Yang Xiao Long(H) {half-sister}. Access…. Granted, welcome home Ruby Rose. A notification will be sent to Beacon Academy to refresh your "status" as in the last twenty-four hours you have been declared as '"Missing in action'. A notification will be sent to the Vale city morgue to dismiss the engraving of your name on the wall of fallen Huntsmen and Huntresses scheduled in_364_ days. "

The computer finally stopped talking. I huffed; it was not a good feeling to know that I had been declared M.I.A. And it felt even freakier that my memorial was already scheduled (Or was rather) to happen in a year. I turned to Penny to offer her the console. I was surprised to see that she was staring at me.

"Huh? Penny what's up?"

"Well…. I was just a little surprised by the amount of information there is on you…"

"Um. OK. Well it's your turn"

Penny stepped forward, bit instead of placing a Scroll on the computer she pulls out a dog-tag. Penny lowers the dog-tag to the scanner.

"PING… Subject identified as… Penny of Atlas. Race, Classified via Atleisian military. Gender, Female. Custody, General James Ironwood. Parents, Classified Via Atliesian military. Siblings, None. Sexual Orientation, N.R. {Volunteered as _Asexual-(Ace)_ by –General James Ironwood-} Height, 5'5. Handedness, Right. Eye color, Green. Hair color, Orange. Complexion, Pale white. Weight, Classified via Penny. Marital status, Declared "Irrelevant" By General James Ironwood. Maternity status, Barren Declared so by –General James Ironwood- [No medical records available]. Status, M.I.A. (Missing in action). Semblance, Classified via Atlieasian military. Weapon, Classified via Atliesian military. Occupation, Classified Via Atlieasian military. Known Teamates, Classified via Atlieasian military. Known enemies, Classified Via Atlieasian military. Access... Granted, welcome back to The City of Vale Penny of Atlas.

A notification will be sent to Beacon Academy and the Atlieasian embassy to refresh your "status" as in the last twenty-four hours you have been declared as '"Missing in action'. "

The Computer clicked to a stop and then darted back into the ceiling. A voice rang out.

"All right you two check out, head on in."

The final doors began to open, slowly. I turned to Penny.

"Penny what's up with all the classified stuff?"

She smiled slightly.

"General Ironwood wants to avoid the details of '"whom and what' I am from becoming public. He says that if the world's enemies discovered too much about me then I would be vulnerable."

The massive doors were still splitting diagonally open to admit us. I could already see through the gap into the massive domed ceiling, honeycombed, with laser turrets galore.

"Penny can I ask why General Ironwood… "Volunteered" your… Sexual orientation? And whats with your marital status being "irrelevant" ?"

My friend fidgeted for a moment, watching the colossal gate slowly inch open.

"He said I can't be attracted to anyone because I'm an Android. He said I can't feel love…"

I felt bad for putting her on the spot like that. So I quickly changed tact.

"Penny its ok, I know you can feel love. I know you're gonna get the person of your dreams someday."

Which might very well be me, but that was not a conversation I want to have today. I'm not ready. Not now, not yet. I scrambled for a new conversation topic.

"And why did you classify your weight?" I put heavy emphasis on "weight" to get her attention in a blushing and stuttering kind of way. It worked.

"I! Um, don't know what you're talking about!-HIC- General Ironwood asked me to!-HIC- I have no problem with my weight!-HIC-. I swear!-HICKUP-."

She suddenly found the sluggishly opening door very interesting as she wouldn't look me in the eye.

'Aww! Your blushing Penny!" I'm lying through my teeth.

"NO! I AM NOT!-HIC!" Penny gasped in a tone that suggested she was indeed blushing. I wondered if she did blush but it maybe didn't change color. She put her hands on her cheeks. Sweet! She is blushing. I sigh.

"Come hear penny." I hug her. "I'm just teasing." She looks at me self-consciously.

"You mean it?" Puppy dog eyes? Oh god that's so cute.

"I mean it. I don't care how much anyone weighs. It's not some big deal to me. Hey I volunteered my weight remember? I'm 122 pounds…. Give or take."

It was my turn to blush; that was my weight two years ago, when I first joined Beacon. I knew for a fact I had gained almost exclusively muscle mass. But it still made me feel fat when the scale reads "150lbs" even if I grew two inches (Hehe… milk), and the twenty eight pounds of extra weight wear purely muscle (And boob). I felt like a cow…. Blegh. Maybe I shouldn't be so critical of her about that, even if I'm only teasing.

The gates opened fully to admit us entry to North Vale. (FINALY) I strode forward with purpose, Penny just behind my right hand. A draw-bridge lowered between the walls and the City proper. The titanic gateways slamming shut quickly and loudly.

Later in Downtown the two of us stopped at a basic restaurant. Nothing fancy, I had no patience for any food service that would be less than instantly gratifying. I had been chewing Field Rations for a week and I NEEDED real food, even if I would feel like garbage in the morning. I was very hungry. We sat down at a table towards the back and waited for my order to come in. (I'd ordered the biggest thing on the menu). Penny had ordered water, (She can drink that?! Cool! To what end? Is it used as a coolant?) We lapsed into peaceful silence as my food arrived and I promptly dug in. penny's eyes glazed over and she leaned back against the booth bench. It took her maybe thirty seconds to zonk out right next to me.

As I ate, I contemplated our conundrum. We were easily two of the most deadly Huntresses on Remnant. But that monster swatted Penny like a bug and could have done the same to me if not for the fact that my semblance was speed. That ALONE is why Team CopperRose survived that trip to crazy-town. As I stuffed fries and cookies into my mouth I noticed my face was wet. This startled me. Then my vision blurred and a tight pressure welled in my sinuses. I choked down my mouthful of food and gasped out a shuddering breath. I was still in freak-out mode over that thing. The sensation of such a specific type of _predator_ had rolled off of him. It made me sick to think about it. It was dangerous it was SICK. That Grimm… It _wanted_ ME. That was bad news because that implies it can (could) BREED. Not a pleasant thought. If that monster has friends, or siblings for that matter, then this problem is just getting started. And I knew in my bones that if I hadn't shoved Crescent Rose in his throat and pulled the trigger…. I would have experienced first-hand what I can only speculate about now.

I chewed and swallowed another mouthful of food. Then I heard the restaurant door chime open around the corner. The girl at the counter greeted the newcomer.

"Hello. Welcome to Mc Zebbs. How may I take your order?"

"Hm? Oh can I just get a refill on my coffee hear?"

"Absolutly sir, right away."

"I'll be around the corner miss."

"Yes sir."

I could hear footsteps rounding the corner of the store, and then Professor Ozpin turns the corner cane in hand. He smiles.

"Miss Rose. It's good to see your alive and Miss Penny too. May I sit?"

"Yes sir."

The Headmaster sits and quietly waits for his coffee. It takes maybe three minutes before the girl comes out of a side door to deliver the steaming coffee. She sets it down and asks if we need anything else. We politely decline.

My headmaster waits for his coffee to cool just a little, whilst I inhale cookies. The hands on the clock turn. But Prf. Ozpin doesn't intrude on the silence; rather, he waits for me to compose myself enough to speak and perhaps for Penny to awake.

After three hours of sitting. Penny wakes and I set down the plastic cup with my soda in it. Prf. Ozpin sets aside his mug. And finally speaks softly.

"Are you both unharmed? Are you OK?" The stress in his voice surprises me. He sounds more like Yang might if she were concerned for me. He cared and feared for our safety.

"Professor…. We're…. alright. It could be worse."

He sighs.

"I hate to ask this of you but… I need a field report. What happened?"

I looked at Penny. She looked back at me. She looked so small, delicate even.

"I've got this Penny." I quietly murmur.

**Later; Ruby**

Ozpin sips from his mug.

"This is distressing news." He sets his cup on the table to rub his temples.

"Very distressing news indeed; Ruby I'm attaching Penny to your team from this day forward. You, Penny, Blake and Yang have ALL fought this…Divergent.

I want to gather Intel on this monster as well. If there are ANY more we will track them down and destroy them. Ruby, I have a plan in mind; if you are willing to hear me out."

I didn't have to think about it, my response is automatic.

"I will sir."

"Very well then" Another sip "I wish to assemble specialty teams. You will lead one of them Miss Rose, Penny another. I'm pulling out all the stops. In one week I want team R.W.B.Y. and your new auxiliary" He nods to Penny "to be assembled in the Beacon auditorium. Teams J.N.P.R. C.F.V.Y. C.R.D.L. Will also be in attendance. The new exchange team S.S.S.N. will be called in as well. I also intend to call three more teams. C.N.D.Y. C.S.T.L. and G.R.V.E. It is my hope that these eight teams will be effective in performing the special operations I have in mind. Ruby I will be assigning Lie Ren, Blake Belladonna and Rem Europa to you. I will dub you "Domino Squad" Your mission is stealth and reconnaissance related."

I perk up slightly.

"Prf. Ozpin I've never heard of these teams? How do you spell their team names?"

"Team "Candy" is spelled C.N.D.Y. Team "Castle" is Spelled C.S.T.L. and team "Grave" is spelled G.R.V.E.

Miss Europa is from team G.R.V.E. her semblance will help you tremendously. Obviously Blake and Ren know how to operate quietly. I assure you Miss Rem is just as capable. However she is a Huntress who depends tremendously on her semblance. Hers is genetic. Her entire family has the gift however only those who can fully manifest it become Huntresses or Huntsmen. She and her family call it the "Cats Eyes". The fully manifested form allows them to see nine days into the past OR nine seconds into the future. The only limit is that she can only see the past and future of a _location_. As in she can see who and what has passed through an area, however she can't see the future, or past, without being on-site; limited but still tremendously valuable.

I will decide on the place I want you to investigate at a later date."

He turned to Penny.

"Miss Penny I will place you in a team of your own, Reaper squad. You will be under the direct command of Mr. Phire.

Grayson Phire is the leader of team G.R.V.E. I think I might put Miss Cassandra Delany from team C.S.T.L. in the same group. But I will certainly place Miss Schnee in that squad as well."

Penny cocked her head to the side.

"Why are we being arranged the way we are Professor?"

"Because; Grayson, Cassandra, Weiss and you all have tremendous power; you can control yours swords with magnetism and those enigmatic strings of yours. Grayson is an avian Faunus capable of flight, also his semblance allows him to produce fire and flames in a similar fashion to the way you fire your main cannon. Cassandra's skills are complex. She relies on her weapon as much as her semblance. She can create a deadly…. "Webb" of sorts, made of her woven aura. And often uses it to ensnare her opponents. And then slice them to ribbon. Weiss can use her Glyphs in a wide variety of ways, such as to bind and repel. Your collective skill-sets will be useful for binding and destroying. It is my hope that you, Cassandra, and Weiss can bind your targets while Grayson destroys them. Of course" he smiles warmly at me. "It will be up to Domino squad to locate them first. Does this seem acceptable to you two?"

It was clear that Ozpin was taking this very seriously. He was assembling more than teams of Huntsman and Huntresses. He was piecing together execution squads. Domino Locates, then the reapers reap.

"I'm combat ready."

"I'm game, but if you're only using eight of us why are you assembling eight teams?"

Ozpin frowned.

"I'm assembling more than one execution squad. Your sister will be asked to lead Wreaker squad. Please tell her that she will have behind her Miss Nora Valkyrie, Mr. Silas Arnost and Miss Nina Pixy. Silas is from team C.S.T.L. and Nina is from team C.N.D.Y. All four of these individuals are renowned for their strength. Silas has strength almost unparalleled except perhaps by Yang in her fullest rage. But maybe not even then, he is an angry person himself. Nora and Nina will undoubtedly get along. Miss. Xiao Long will have her hands full.

Ozpin sipped his mug one last time.

"Ruby, Penny. While I am still attaching Penny to your team, I am about to divide your team as well. When Team R.W.B.Y. is called, Penny will follow. But when Domino Squad or Reaper Squad are called; you will divide. Am I perfectly clear ladies?"

We both nod.

"I do this because I believe a war is coming. The recent events are chilling. And I can feel a pending change. I bid you good night."

He rose from his seat and left us.

"Ruby?"

I turned to my friend.

"Yes"

"I'm afraid."

"I am too."

The two of us get up, dump our trash on the way out, and begin our return to beacon.

**Later; Penny.**

After Ruby and I left the Mc Zebbs we made the trip back to Beacon. We passed Team C.F.V.Y. on the way in. Velvet rushed up to us with her teammates at her heels.

"Ruby, Penny, your back!"

"Yep" Chirped Ruby, "We made it out of the plains without difficulty. I mean we had to fight this freak Grimm that busted up Yang and Blake really badly, we killed it too, but we made it."

Fox stepped forward.

"We got the full run down on that thing. Yang said it was invincible. Blake never even saw it coming, not an easy thing to do. Sneak up on Blake. How did you kill it?"

Ruby's face fell. It took her a second to reply.

"Luck."

Team C.F.V.Y. grew very still. Her answer irked them. Everyone knew that Ruby was wicked fast, and Coco's team saw my skills first hand. It was a bad sign that such a deadly team was stressed by this news, as they themselves know their own strengths and weakness, and as they've observed ours. If such a powerful team as C.F.V.Y. was given pause by this monster. Then we should all be given pause.

"Ruby" said Coco abruptly.

"How exactly did you kill it? Give me the blow-by blow."

The two team leaders stepped up to each other.

"Penny and I re-entered the village to destroy it. It was either still there by circumstance OR it was waiting for us. I couldn't tell you which is more likely. It … Spoke."

The elder team recoiled at the news but did not interrupt.

"It said, "I am king" then it charged us. Penny got in front of me and started to swing her swords around. I doubt any Huntress or Huntsmen I know could have slipped into her defense, or even slipped a single bullet in. But the Divergent just waltzed right in and backhanded Penny into a building, which was completely wiped out, and then it grabbed my right arm. I had my weapon under my hood so it didn't immediately see it. It spoke again. "Mine" was all it said. I shoved the barrel of my gun into his mouth and pulled the trigger."

"Bang" Ruby shrugged.

Team C.F.V.Y. looked at one another anxiously.

"Thanks Rubes" Coco and Ruby fist bumped.

"We'll remember what you told us. And we will pass down what we've learned."

Those words were not spoken often at Beacon. They were traditional words. They reminded me what it actually means to be a Huntress. They reminded me that the Huntsmen and Huntresses of old would consider themselves fortunate to have saved a handful of lives. I drew strength from those words.

Teams CopperRose and C.F.V.Y. parted without another word. No more needed to be said. Ruby and I began our ascent to the Team R.W.B.Y. dorm.

In the hall we passed a mailman, on his way out, looking down at his scroll for his next delivery.

We approached the dorm door and Ruby inserted a key.

As soon as we entered a giant scrunch of blonde hair obscured my view of Ruby.

"RUBY!"

Yang had leapt over her desk and flattened her sister on to the wall.

**Later; Yang**

"Whoa Weiss it's OK seriously! It's my job to be here for you guys."

For the last three hours Weiss has been thanking me for coming to her and Blake's aid.

Personally I didn't feel like I deserved it. It took Juan and Pyrra tracking me down to a nightclub, which I had for the second time wreaked, to make me see clearly. I only hoped that Ruby would still come home. That's it. My sister's safe return is all I wanted. I slumped over the desk next to our dorms door.

"Yang, I mean it when I say that I'm grateful for you being there for me."

The ice queen sputtered, (Again)

Blake interjected.

"Really Yang it was very good timing. Neptune was starting to freak out. How many boys can just sit there for half a day with a semi-conscious girl in his lap who wouldn't even explain why she was there? Team S.S.S.N. was never briefed on our mission beforehand and had no clue we came back without Ruby. He told me he was terrified when you finally carried Weiss out of there."

I smirk. Neptune was a pretty cool dude. But no way would he know how to handle this wacked out situation, poor guy. He looked so stunned.

A knock came at the door.

All three of us froze.

"Yo? Who is it.?"

"I'm with Vale shipping; I'm supposed to deliver a new bed to this room. For Team…. R.W.B.Y."

WTF? I reach across the desk and twist the handle. The door swings open and in strides a man with a big box labeled. "Bed, Small."

"Hello, are you Miss Xiao Long?" Ask the delivery man looking straight at me.

I nod.

"Please sign this."

I sign his scroll.

"I'm sorry but I was asked to deliver and leave. Typically I might be able to help with assembly but I was asked by Prf. Goodwitch to just pop in and back out." He inclines his head politely, and then bows out.

"The fugg?"

I turn to Weiss and Blake. They shrug in response.

Then the door clicks open and in walks Ruby and Penny?!

"RUBY!"

"Yan-UFF"

I leap across the desk and wrap her in a bone crushing hug. She's safe! She's OK! She's OK.

I release her from my death grip and hold her at arm's length by her shoulders.

"What happened?" I demanded. Ruby fidgeted briefly, and then began her and Penny's tale.

**Later; Yang.**

"Whoa. That's…. Heavy."

I couldn't believe this. It was too wild, too crazy. It freaked me out.

Weiss spoke up.

"Wait what was that bit at the end? About Ozpin adding Penny to our team and then splitting it up?"

Blake rolled over in my bed (Top bunk) and looked down at the four of us.

"I think what the headmaster intends to do is build up our strength. The separate squad thing is just to put specific strengths all together. He'll still call in team R.W.B.Y. But now he'll also call Domino Wreaker and Reaper squads as separate entities. These other teams I actually know. Well Team C.N.D.Y. at least. That Nina girl is just as hyper as Nora, her weapons are a pair of gauntlets and boots that she uses to both fight had to hand with AND she can levitate rocks with. BIG ROCKS. This one time she single handedly dropped a five-hundred year old castle on a nest of Deathcrawlers."{Giant Spider Grimm}

Yang raised her eyebrows.

"Ozpin is giving me my own command? And he's giving me Nora Valkyrie and… What's her name Nina?"

I twist to look at Blake again.

She nods

"Her full name is Nina Pixy yea. Also I know the last member of your team."

Blake pulls a grim face.

"Silas Arnost… He's a rare type of Faunus. A Tiger. He grew up in illegal fighting pits controlled by wealthy humans. Back when I was with the White Fang I helped expose it. Silas himself helped fight of the guards. He took several wounds that could have killed him. He's a true patriot. Even the Schnee Dust Company helped put a stop to it. Quite vehemently I might add. If you've ever seen Silas… You'll know what I mean."

Blake shuddered.

"Blakey whuzzup? He can't be that messed up."

Blake arched an eyebrow.

"He's coated in scar tissue. His whole body is so badly scared that doctors aren't even sure how he survived the fighting pits, much less the riot that prefigured the escape of the captives."

Blake rolled back onto my bed disappearing from sight.

"Dang… And I'm in charge of this guy?"

Weiss laughed shortly.

"And you're in charge of Nora and Nina. Their names even sound the same! I wouldn't be surprised if they wear sisters."

I turn to Ruby and Penny. Both of them are insanely trying to hang that stupid bed new right next to Ruby's.

They already made a little sign that read. "CopperRose" and had it hanging on the wall above both beds.

"Hey Ruby, Penny, do either of you guys know your squad partners, aside from the obvious of course."

Both of them shrug.

"Nope" says Ruby.

"I'm afraid not." Apologizes penny.

Weiss on the other hand does.

"I've meet Rem and Grayson. They're partners on Grayson's team. And Cassandra is Silas's girlfriend in addition to being his team leader."

I toot a cat-call.

Weiss ignores me, then leans back and closes her eyes to collect her thoughts. Then she leans back in and begins talking.

"Cassandra and I have actually talked tactics before. She's subdued but not an idiot. I only know that she and Silas are dating. I've never actually met him. Cass is very sophisticated and could probably think her way out of anything. I guess it's kind of funny really, in a slightly sick sense, that she and Silas are together. He spent years trapped in a pit enduring physical trauma and overcame it in a physical way.

Cassandra's family where terrified by her powerful aura and treated her like an outcast for most of her life. She had to suffer her mother and father telling her she was a monster, and was locked up in her room most of the time. The family is from money so she was fed and looked after by maids and butlers.

She rose above her torment in an intellectual way. She built her stave, escaped her family, and became a huntress."

I whistled.

"You know a lot about her. What's up with that?"

Weiss glared at me.

"Were friends, she trusts me. And I trust you to not blabber about this to anyone."

I was so not in to gossiping about skeletons in the closet. So it was easy to agree to that demand…. However snootily it was made.

"You got it Ice Queen."

CLICK.

I turn towards the sound. "You two got that bed installed?"

The two redheads turned to me.

"Yep" they said it at the same time, and then smiled at each other.

"But is it goanna fall over on me when I go under it to take my shower tomorrow morning?"

Ruby rolled her eyes and ignored me. Penny actually replied.

"No ma'am friend Yang. Ruby and I have it completely secured."

She saluted me. Oh how cute. I snorted, and rose up on Blake's bed pushing my shoulders into my bedframe above me.

"You two keep it rated P.G. up there you got me?"

I ignored Ruby hissing at me, and penny obliviously assenting with a 'yes ma'am.'

I pushed up righting my body slightly. I heard the gasp and the thud that followed as I tumped Blake out of my bed. Very quickly I dropped my bed back into its previous position, and then swung sharply up onto my own bed.

Blake was completely pissed complaining that I could have simply asked her to come down or even slept in her bed or even hopped up and joined her in the same bunk.

"But no! You had to dump me like a sack of kittens all over the floor you ass!"

I snickered.

Weiss was still up putting her books away neatly on the shelves.

"Yo Weiss, can you cut the lights before you hit the sack?"

I look up at Ruby in her pajamas and Penny wrapped in a spare pair of Ruby's shorts and one of my old T-shirts (too big for her).

"Shure. Of course." She agreed easily.

I lay back in my bed and Ruby dropped the makeshift curtain on the side of her bed and clicked off the lamp that she had sitting on an impromptu shelf above her headboard. The kid had it tough this last week. And prf. Ozpin said that he feared a war was coming. I was being given my own command.

"Wreaker Squad".

It had a ring to it. But what was so dangerous that our docile Headmaster wanted four of the most destructive Huntsmen and Huntress on one team together?

I closed my eyes and willed sleep to take me. Ruby was home. My little sister was safe.

But in this upcoming war I can't help but wonder. Who hunts? Who is hunted?

A.N.

Hello everyone. This was "Aftermath, part 2." I will introduce twelve new characters into the Fanfiction simply to ad variety to the story. I will always center it on the actual R.W.B.Y. characters since a lot of people don't like OCs. I also decided to split this story into several arcs. And in order to do so in a good way I decided to just make a few O.C.s to spice things up, new characters for the cannon characters to interact with. Also if you decide you want to see more or less of certain OCs and natrully the cannon characters, let me know and I'll work them in in a meaningful way.

And just in case you missed it they are.

Candy, C.N.D.Y.

Castle, C.S.T.L.

Grave, G.R.V.E.

Thus far I have introduced(Through mentions)

C.(Nina pixy).D.Y

(Cassandra Delany).(Silas Arnost).T.L.

And

(Grayson Phire).(Rem Europa).V.E.

Never fear if you don't like O.C.s they will not be overpowering I promise. This is still Penny and Ruby's story; it's just a very, very big story is all.

Also if you would like some more clarification on what a DeathCrawler is. It is a giant Spider as large as a Deathstlker But instead of a stinger it bites. AND spins giant webs.

If you liked this chapter please let me know. If you have Questions, concerns or Issues, please tell me what they are. And as most authors are wont to say, please review.

Thank you.

Hollowman1994.


	5. Chapter 5 When will we rise?

R.W.B.Y.

A bleak end

Chapter 5

When will we rise?

The moon turns ever around and about. The young die and the wicked grow old. Monsters who have no need to feed on mortal flesh feed nonetheless, because they can, because they like it. However things can only get worse before they can ever get better. I always crave that things will get worse so that the world can grow. At the same time I dread the storm of war. No one can ever know after all.

Who will still stand beside us when the storm passes us buy?

**Oz**

I take a sip from my mug.

Team R.W.B.Y. is back at full strength and now I await my deputy headmistress Glynda, and our old friend James Ironwood. As I wait, I wonder.

What is coming?

Are these monsters man made?

Are they a new breed of Grimm that we MUST match?

Are they the "Four Horsemen" Is the end of days at hand?

Will those poor children live to see the next year?

Glynda and James arrive… Loudly.

"OZPIN! What have I told you? Time and Time again I have said that a war was coming but you never dared to believe me until now!?"

"Shut your mouth James you have no right to talk to him that way in his own office!"

James roars and turns on Glynda with a raised hand. Prf. Goodwitch strikes faster.

"SMACK"

James staggers under the shorter woman's blow. But it seemed to have brought him back to his senses.

"I… I must excuses myself. My actions where… Un-called for."

He takes a step back from Glynda who then turns to me.

"Ozpin. What is to be done?"

The three of us turn to the sound of a book puffing shut.

The young man who shut the book that I was allowing him to read answers the question posed to me.

"We do what Prf. Ozpin has already done. Put the eight teams assembled on R&amp;R, then after they, or rather we, have had a chance to put our feet up. Assemble us into specialty squads. I will lead Reaper Squad. Ruby Rose will head off Domino, and her sister will Van the Wreakers. The top tacticians and single warriors will be put on the front lines at the wheel of the Atliesian military's droids. People like Juan Arc and Pyrrha Nikos."

The General balked.

"Front lines?"

James looks my student up and down quizzically. To be fair the young man did wear an odd assortment of clothing.

He wore a wizard's hat and a Pirates coat, Cowboy boots and knights gauntlets. And all of it was Grey silver and Grey. A pair of pistols stuck out from under his coat in a very pirate-y fashion. He had a sword sheathed on his left hip. It had several functions that still remained a mystery to James, but not to me. I knew that the young huntsman kept a pair of shotgun barrels inside of his thick scabbard. They can be pulled out of the sheath one at a time OR at the same time. Both barrels can be cut off at the half-way point to mimic a sawed off shotgun. And the remaining halves can be attached to his weapons handle into a (very short) four barreled mini gun. Of course all of that comes with a sword slipped down the center and the entire thing can expand into a staff. If not for that damn blade his guns would turn into more guns exclusively. What madness.

"And you are?" Asked James.

"Grayson Phire."

"Phire? Ozpin wasn't that your wife's maiden name?"

I smile sadly at James.

"Yes it is."

James sighs.

"Ozpin don't play cryptic with me, just answer the question."

So I do.

"My wife, Etney Phire, was a Huntress as you well know. Her semblance was Fire. One day when she was out fighting a Grimm She was taken by surprise. I was with her when an old Beowolfe struck her in the back of the neck. The instant she died she exploded into flames. I took the small boy that resulted from the explosion and took him to my sister and her husband. They re-named Etney "Grayson".

I leaned back in my chair.

"Wait… So this student is the reincarnation of your dead wife?"

Grayson chuckled "Creepy ain't it?"

He stood and walked across the room.

"My semblance is more than just "Fire". You could say that I AM a Phoenix. You may have noticed the funky get-up I've got on. But now can you guess why I where such an odd attire?"

He turned to Glynda and James popping their eyebrows up questioningly.

Glynda (Such a sharp woman) was able to piece it together.

"You must still retain your memories from you past lives. Including the fighting styles you learned and how to use the weapons you used in ages past."

"Bingo! And that's why I'm here right now. I have been reincarnated for over five thousand years. Sure some lives were of little to no importance. And sometimes I couldn't recall my immortality, such as my last life when I was Ozpins wife. But I DO remember the distant past now, in THIS incarnation of myself when humanity fought against these Old Masters. What you call "new Grimm" or "Divergent". They are not new. Actually, they just woke up.

You see long, long ago, in a galaxy far away and all that rot. Humanity was young. But not the Grimm, oh no, they've always been around. You see the Grimm had Kings in those days. Kings that could control the lesser Grimm with a thought and Queens that could create NEW forms of Grimm from the animals of the earth, air and sea. But over five-thousand years ago, Humanity rose up against these monster Kings. The retribution was profound. That was when the Grimm were first ordered to eat us. That was when the Grimm received their still standing order to instill as much fear in the human race as possible, then to consume our very flesh."

Grayson ended his oration by turning to my office window and crossing his arms.

"Ozpin…. Is what this boy say's true?" James looked almost pleading. I exhale.

"Yes my old friend it is. All of it; you see while Etney could not recall her distant past she did retain the knowledge that she was immortal. Well in a round about sense. She did not fear death because she instinctively knew it would never come to her. Not really. She also could remember aspects of history that she was present to witness, despite the fact that some historical events she could have never been present for. I always suspected that there was more to her than even she knew. But until Grayson came to me during his first year hear I could never be sure."

The General nods.

"Seeing in others what they cannot see in themselves. That sounds like you Ozpin, as always."

I smile slightly as I sip my coffee.

"I make it my business to know these things, it's not building legions of solders but it IS better that sticking a gun in someone's hand and telling them what to shoot."

James snorts. "Ah that reminds me, what was that about putting your huntsmen in command of MY armies?"

"Vale will be the target." I state simply.

"And how can you know that?"

For the second time today Grayson answers a question directed towards me.

"Because the Kings of old will fight irrationally, they will aim for the center as they always have. They are self-righteous. They do not see any need to attack anything but the best. Vale is the best. It is hear that most trade is done. It is hear that most people live and the most diverse culture can be found. And it is hear that the immortal calls home. They will come for the center so that they can strike out against ALL of humanity at once. They will strike hear because they know I am hear."

The Phoenix turns to the General.

"That is why we will lead your armies. We are the target."

**Ruby**

"NO!"

My sister has betrayed me. Yang is out for my blood!

My navy. My precious navy! What does Yang think she's doing!?

"I'm sorry little sis, but your navy is WAY too big, I don't feel like grappling with it. So yea I'm taking the chance baby!"

Since lunch Myself, Yang, Penny and Weiss where playing the "Remnant Conquest Game" Blake was watching occasionally but mostly focused on her book. Penny was actually rather good at it and was doing a fine job at commanding the forces of Atlas. Yang was playing as Mistral and Weiss (Again) was Vacuo, and failing miserably on her offensive. I was Vale and since I was a BOSS at this game everyone (Penny included that traitor!) was ganging up on me. It was such a pain trying to shake off all three of them but I was managing with some success… Oops. There goes my Navy. OK _Limited _success.

Our game was interrupted by a knock on the door. Yang calls out.

"Yo! Who goes?"

A familiar voice answers. Ren.

"Come on in man"

Ren enters, but he's not alone. We did expect as much as usually Nora is attached to his hip. But today we received a special surprise.

"Team R.W.B.Y. Please allow me to introduce Miss. Rem Europa. She will be joining us on Domino Squad in two weeks."

My eyes go wide as I take in her appearance.

Rem was no taller than Nora. Her hair was black, cropped short in the back however her face was framed by long bangs. She had a calm and relaxed disposition, aside from eye's that darted to and fro. She wore the typical beacon academy girls' uniform. In my position on the floor I could see a little more up her skirt than was normally comfortable (For most people) however it granted me insight. She had a Dagger strapped to the outside of each thigh. She was, as Penny might put it, Combat ready.

Rem stepped forward.

"Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Rem Europa; I come from the Europa family in west Vale. I am Grayson Phire's partner on team G.R.V.E. and I will be a member of the Domino reconnaissance squad lead by Ruby Rose." She bowed slightly.

Standing I reach out to shake her hand. She accepts the gesture.

Smiling warmly I introduce myself.

"Hey I'm Ruby; I will be your squad leader Rem."

As I withdraw and step back Blake quietly introduces herself as well and welcomes her to stay if she wishes. Rem politely declines stating.

"I will certainly visit with you later in the next two weeks; however my Partner will need me very soon. I was speaking with Ren and in passing mentioned I had not met either you or Blake. He kindly offered to introduce me."

The four of us stood together then in a small circle. Myself, Ruby Rose. And Blake Belladonna, Lie Ren and Rem Europa. We said it was a pleasure then Ren and Rem departed. Once they where gone I turned to the rest of my team and pumped my fist in the air.

"ENTER DOMINO SQUAD!" Don't we look SO COOL?! Did you see her? She looked cool, didn't she? Oh I hope we can all be great friends! And I hope her weapon is something super cool! This will be, like, our "Origen Story" or something! Not that WE don't have one of course-" I devolved into a touchdown-dance-esqe fit for several minutes. Once I finally calmed down it became apparent that the rest of the room had moved on from our guest to maybe going out to downtown Vale, do some light shopping and catch a movie. Just hang out in general. After all we had two weeks leave to do as we pleased.

**Later in Vale**

**Ruby**

Team R.W.B.Y. (Penny is inclusive in that terminology now) did not stick together long once we reached the city.

Weiss and Blake both wanted to go look at formal apparel. Yang, Penny and I took off towards "From Dust till Dawn" to refuel our ammo and just buy new parts. (All the extra stuff is for me admittedly as I mod "Crescent Rose" a lot.) Once we reached the back of the store Penny nervously began trying to impress something on the two of us.

"Um… Friend Yang?" Asked Penny nervously."

"Yea? Sup?"

Penny began wringing her hands together nervously.

"You wouldn't be upset to learn that I'm a Faunus right?"

Yang raised her eyebrows in mild surprise, and then smiled wickedly.

"What physical trait do'ya have hmmm? You got a cute kitty tail? Or maybe supper sharp claws hidden under your nails? Well either way Ruby is suuuper ticklish, so be careful when you two mess around K? And I will separate you two if you start getting frisky and scratching her too much."

Yang is having a field day, oh my god. You'd think she'd be more sensitive!

Penny meanwhile began stammering even worse (Hard to imagine that.) And from what I could tell was remembering that she has mixed feelings for me, like I do for her. The great big chicken I am I UN-distract her, maybe too quickly.

"Hey Penny what was the original point to the question you posed yang?"

I could not have said that much faster. Reeaall Smooooth Ruby. Good job playing it cool…. Weiss is right. I'm a dolt. Lucky for me Yang responds the way I need her to.

"Yea Penny what are you getting at? You a Faunus or what? I mean I don't have a problem with it; after all I love my Blakey-Pooh so much just the way she is. You don't have to worry about me judging you."

Penny relaxed. But just a little bit.

"Well… What If I told you I was neither human… OR Faunus?"

Yang raised an eyebrow again.

"Unless you're a Grimm in a wig I'm not goanna start swinging at ya'. Just say what you need to babe and let it ride."

She paused to look at the fidgeting girl. Who looked ill at ease, yet I felt she was beginning to collect herself; the deep breath before the plunge.

"Yang. Ruby already knows this, but only her…, I'm an uh. Um. An Android."

Penny seemed to shrink in on herself a little.

"Uh, who what now?"

Unbelievable; Yang just learned what Penny deems her biggest secret and it flew strait over her head.

"Um Sis, what Penny is saying is that she's a…uh. A robot. You know like built in a lab type stuff? I mean I don't really know where she was build, but she wasn't ya'know. Born. "

Yang looked a little like she…. Didn't care? Or rather like it didn't matter to her so much.

"Well if it's a big secret I can keep a lid on no problem. But you don't need to worry about me thinking any less of you just because of what you are. What really matters to me is WHO someone is. And I like you Penny, you're a good kid."

Yang turns to smile at Penny, who then simply explodes with joy.

"Oh friend Yang! Thank you so much!" Penny reaches out and hugs Yang. "You're an amazing friend!" Penny begins swinging Yang back and forth like a rag-doll. "Thank you oh so very much!"

"Your we-e-e-elcome!" Yang stuttered out as Penny continued to swing the blonde around.

The rest of our morning was spent arguing about which brand of Dust was best for combat. Obviously Schnee Dust was both the most popular AND the most commonly found dust in any Dust shop; however I liked the look of Delany Dust. Its price wasn't bad either.

The three of us met up with Weiss and Blake at a Café owned and run by our classmate Velvet Scarlatina's cousin, Ginger.

The shops name was "Sweet treats &amp; Neat beats" it was an open and sunny shop with a porch that opened out into a large city park. The smell of ginger bread and other pastries could easily be considered an iconic aspect of the city's downtown. Every Saturday local musicians played from open to close. Every other day of the week Ginger kept a unique playlist rolling.

Ginger Scarlatina herself was a carefree and sweet girl. She, like her younger cousin Velvet, was a rabbit Faunus. Her hair was carrot orange and her ears stood at odd angles to one another further emphasizing her relaxed nature.

Unfortunately the moment we stepped inside of Gingers shop trouble was there waiting.

"I asked for this coffee with, NO. SUGAR. Couldn't you hear me? Well floppy could you not HEAR ME WHEN I SPEEK TO YOU HMM!? ARE THOSE EARS FOR SHOW HOPPS? WELL ARE THEY?!"

Apparently Ginger Scarlatina had accidentally put sugar into one of her customers' drinks, when they had asked her not to. And the jerk was having a go at her for it. Ginger was rigid, her ears pointed strait up and a tense freighted look warped her features into those remiss of a cornered animal.

As one team R.W.B.Y. began to cross the small lobby to tell the jerk to back off. But not before the, very human very male very hateful, man threw his still very hot coffee onto Gingers counter. The contents DID hit his shirt a little; however it was the poor young lady who would not say a word in her own defense that got a face-full of scalding hot brown lava. Ginger finally said something.

"AHH!"

The high pitched _grunt _of satisfaction from the man made me see red… I can only imagine how angry Yang could be right now.

Yang and Blake were ON HIM.

Wordlessly Yang grabbed the scum-bag buy his right arm as Blake gripped his left. At first the man tried to squirm free, but Yang busted his dome. Team Bumblebee TOSSED Gingers assailant out of the stores door, and across the street with such force he sailed into an ally and on top of a pile of trash, right where he belonged.

"Ginger! Are you OK?! Weiss get a towel!"

As Weiss and I fussed over Ginger the V.P.D. made a cameo, Penny explained what happened in muted tones. And the cops, the lazy tools they were, decided the _Huntresses_ "had it well in hand" and departed without so much as a get well soon.

After roughly five minutes Ginger was shaken, but healed. My pale partner and I had been able to restore Gingers skin to its usual smooth and supple hue with the aid of our Auras. Now the six of us sat at the large table overlooking the lobby as a young employee got his hours in on the register.

"Thank you. All of you, that was just so, not chill. He was terrifying the wits out of me. I…. I just can't even…" Ginger broke off mid-sentence.

Blake spoke up.

"It's OK were here now, you don't have to worry about this. Our team is on extended leave for the next two weeks. We will be coming here every day until we receive the details of our away mission. You don't have to live in fear. We promise." The remaining four of us nodded in agreement.

Ginger looked up at us with such innocent relief it was hard to think of her as older than me by six years, (twenty-three).

Blake and Ginger continued their own conversation as Yang steamed silently beside them. Weiss noticed the young employee at the counter making a laughing stock of himself and swopped down to rescue him. It amazes me that Weiss has become so naturally kind since the first time we met.

Penny and I had ordered drinks that Ginger was very reluctant to sell to us. (We had to all but shove the Lein into her hand as she insisted we simply take what we want for her rescue.) And they had just arrived thanks almost entirely to Weiss, the Copper to my Rose and I stepped out onto the Café porch and sat in the afternoon sun, sipping away.

"Um…. RubY?"

"Sup Penny?"

"I... When I saw miss ginger in trouble I got… Mad. I didn't even know her but I wanted to help her."

Penny looked both confused and alert at the same time. It was an amusing look for her.

"Penny if I hadn't known ginger when we walked in today I would have felt the same way. People like that jerk that burned "Miss G" are monsters, just as much as Grimm. However Penny strange as it may sound you shouldn't hate him." Penny looked up quizzically "You should _pity_ him." I murmur softly.

"He is someone I would protect if a Grimm attacked him, because he is still a person. You see Penny even though he is a rotten guy. He still can do something special. He can learn. One of my teachers taught me that because someone can learn, they can grow. That man might be hateful and cruel for the rest of his life, OR he might learn that he was wrong. He may look back on today and decide if it's the last thing he does he MUST apologies to Ginger for what he did. People do change penny, it may not seem like it. But they do. So pity the dude. Don't hate him. It is totally his loss."

Penny leaned back into her chair sipping water and looked out over the park. She seemed to be absorbing what I had told her. I took the same moment to look at her. The sunlight reflected off of her orange hair beautifully. Her eyes were in that moment a resilient lime-green and her skin appeared to be light and pale as white pearl. And I let myself wonder. Yes I love her. But….. AH! In what way? That's it, that's the answer to my hard question. In what way do I love her...? A…. Sister. Like Yang. That's how I love her. Yes. That's right.

I sip my hot chocolate.

But could I love her more... No. I could not love Penny any more than I already do, HOWEVER the way in which? Maybe, but first things first, just like Yang taught me. I need to know three things. Can I be her friend and nothing more? Can I live WITH her and not go bonkers in the process? And can I let her go if she isn't right for me? Yang taught me that when I had my first crush. And that's how my first relationship ended. We couldn't be friends. He wanted more than I was willing to give him. The second time, I couldn't LIVE with my girlfriend, we tried it but…. I still want some of my tops back that thieving little monster.

For now… Only the future can tell.

I look at Penny again. She's put down her glass and rolled her head back, the sunlight dancing off of her skin with near choreographic beauty. And I wondered; if she didn't want me. But I found that I wanted her. Could I let her go?

**Neptune**

"Velvet, Yatsuhashi wait up!"

Yatsuhashi and I from team C.F.V.Y. had been talking about classwork (I was in an advanced class, despite my lack of interest and found that I suddenly needed help if I wanted to pass. CRAP!) When out of like, totally nowhere Yatsu's partner Velvet is just you'know, there! Like she jumped of a building or something, and she's yelling at tall-boy about her ginger cousin and how she got attacked, and something about the girls from Weiss's team then their like, boom! Taking off at a dead sprint. Those two are, like, FAST no joke. Then the three off us were, like, jumping over cars and buildings and stuff (well I'm still trying to catch up.) Then Velvet and Yatsuhashi bail into a cute little coffee shop and I catch up and I walk in.

"Velvet! It's totally savvy the R.W.B.Y. lasses had my back faster than I could start yelling for help, chill baby sister."

So it's like a false alarm right? Oh… OK cool I'll just get a cup'o joe I guess…. Whoa.

So I turn to the counter and the sunlight is streaming in from the west, it's still white light not orange yet and there she is. Weiss Schnee. She's just standing behind the counter with a light blue apron on basically running the place calmly giving out orders to the cashier next to her and popping tickets back to the kitchen all casual. Then she looks up at me and smiles.

Imagine the sun suddenly filling the whole room… Yea even though the suns already in the room. In that moment Weiss looked so beautiful I almost broke down with nerves. But that would have been totally not cool. So I smile back and walk up to the counter. I flick my chin up real quick and say.

"Sup?"

She giggles. It's SOOOO cute…. She's so pretty.

"Oh nothing much, I'm just helping out while Ginger takes it easy today."

"Who? Oh wait I get it now, Velvet said "Her COUSIN Ginger" not her ginger cousi-… Oh wait"

I broke off mid-sentence when I looked up at Ginger. She is Velvets ginger cousin after all. So I guess I'm NOT wrong. OK cool.

Weiss giggles again. "Wait let me get this straight; you didn't even know what was going on except that someone was in trouble? That's so big of you Neptune!"

I can feel a blush threaten, but I don't let it through.

"It's the right thing to do Snow Angel."

Weiss beams at me. It's so beautiful I can barely stand it. But I offer a hand and she accepts. Then Weiss and I begin to take care of the shop for Ginger.

Together.

**Yang**

I step over to an un-occupied corner of the Gingers store and take a seat.

If that looser had just asked for his coffee to be replaced like any other normal person! Or one better, if he had just drank the stupid thing regardless. I hate people sometimes, so MUCH sometimes.

I take a deep breath to steady myself. I listen to the sound of soft pianos and violins flowing from the speakers all around me. It's a pleasant mood. One that Weiss set when she took over the counter. If I'm not too much mistaken that's how Ginger runs her store. You get counter; you get to choose the music…. Weiss has good taste I guess. I look down at the store below me. Just to take in the scene.

To my right and slightly below me are, Ginger, Velvet, Blake and Yatsuhashi. The four of them where talking in muted tones about some band I didn't know. They seemed content.

Standing at the store counter was Weiss taking orders dressed in white and blue and smiles. Behind her in the kitchen was Neptune who had showed up with Velvet. He was doing a pretty smooth job considering he looked completely out of place. And those two also seemed content.

Sitting on the porch bathing in the sun of late afternoon sat my sister and Penny. They looked like a picture I'd seen in a museum once. They seemed content. They looked at peace.

I huffed one last time today. I guess I'm content to.

I smile to the sound of violins in the background. Things seem to finally "be on track". I smile at my pun too.

For a split second time seemed to stand still. Sunlight illuminated us all. We smiled at one another and laughed and made merry. I watched Weiss peck Neptune on the cheek as thanks for just a small thing. Ruby's lips slid into a smile at something Penny had said. The Scarlatinas smiled at a kind word from Blake. Yatsuhashi watched over the shop in much the same way I was. We were all content. We all felt at peace.

And the world was perfect.

A.N.

A sun filled chapter for a sun filled month.

Typically I like to end a chapter in a bleak way. Not with tragedy but in such a way as the "Happy ending" doesn't happen. With a shadow hanging just out of sight. Today I wrote a happy ending because it seemed right to do so. Because I know all too well that "All good things must end" So leave a review if you liked, and leave a longer review if you didn't.

Until next time.

H.M.

P.S. The above authors notes I wrote two days before I posted this chapter. Today I have left my home town to visit Atlanta. To see my friends at my high school Anime club. To get my year book and visit teachers I miss. I'm also visiting my mother and Step-father. I'm visiting this library too. This is where it all started. This library is the one I posted the first chapter in. I was in a darker place then. But as this chapter can show, I'm in a better place now.

Everything feels so bright.


	6. Chapter 6 night and day

R.W.B.Y.

A bleak end.

Chapter 6

Night and Day

**Blake**

The sun warmed my back.

The clouds came just in time to cool me just the right way. I could smell the Sea-food restaurant up the square cooking Trout. And I had my favorite book propped open just beneath my nose…. Hm? By now Yang should have annoyed me; or Ruby should have tried to make me a part of the group. Odd… Maybe I should check… OR I could just read…

… That's almost half the book gone... Are they going to pull a prank? No? Maybe I should just trust that they are leaving me alone because they can tell I'm perfectly fine… No. I know my friends too well. I snap the book shut, pivot and sit up straight. What I see surprises me.

My team and I have been spending the last four days of our extended leave at Ginger Scarlatina's pastry shop. Every morning the five of us get up and dress into our day clothes. We keep our weapons with us off course, but otherwise we dress as civilians. Today I was wearing a lavender sun-dress; Ruby wore a black skirt and a red V-neck shirt. Her skirt was nowhere near as puffy as usual making her look much skinnier. Weiss also had on a sundress however hers was pale mint green. Yang just threw on a holey band T-shirt and faded jeans.

Now what I found so surprising was the placement and behaviors of everyone. Yang was kicked back in a lawn chair out on the porch with me. Just one seat away; sitting in silent companionship next to me. She had cocked an eyebrow at my sudden movement but made no comment… Odd. No one-liner?

Weiss and Ginger leaned against the front counter. I caught a snatch of their conversation.

"I've never actually worked before, unless you count my Huntress training."

"Really? It looked like you had done it a million time's lass. You're pretty intuitive."

"Thank you Miss G."

Neptune had also made a habit of coming with us to Gingers store, he did such a fine job as a cook that Ginger insisted she give him wages if he came in for the rest of his two week leave. He had accepted.

Neither team C.F.V.Y. or S.S.S.N. had come in (Aside from Neptune) since Monday however it was likely that they would come in at some point.

Ruby and Penny sat on the far end of the stores outer deck. Ruby was running Penny through the nuances of social interaction. An irony considering Ruby is quite the social awkward herself.

Then intuition hit. Penny and Ruby are bonding.

Yang has a new interest in doing things my way.

And Weiss is orienting herself in such a way as Neptune is always in her peripheral vision. When he moves, so does she, and vise–versa.

I loved what I saw. It was like the world had just become perfect! It was better than my favorite book, and I get to participate in it! Maybe I'll write a novella… Smiling softly I glance over at the strangely peaceful Yang. She's lolled her head back and closed her eyes, absorbing the new wave of golden sunlight. She looks warm and very inviting. A safe place. My best friend.

I prod her with my foot, receiving a single bleary lavender eye as a response.

"Can I join you?"

"Waddaya mean?"

"Can I sit in your lap? You look warm"

A flash of something pops into her eyes, and then she crosses her ankles and shrugs her hand in a half circle at her lap. I slink over into my teammates lap and lean my head against her shoulder. Re-opening my book and lifting it up to my eyes I continue to read.

**Yang**

… Wait a minute… What's she up to? I mean Blake just hops into my lap…. Meh whatever I'm in my happy place right now so I don't care what she's doing. I close my eyes and take a deep breath full of Blake. Hmmmm.

**Penny**

For approximately three hours and thirty two minutes fifteen seconds Ruby has been trying to teach me the difference between "a joke at my expense" and "The group laughing with me."…. I have been more focused on the shape of her body and color of her eyes for the last three hours and twenty minutes. I hope she doesn't notice…. I hope she does notice. And that she likes it….

"Yo, Penny? You still there?"

"Huh? Oh! I was uh… preoccupied with… monitoring ah important internal systems-HIC…."

"Oh OK cool so as I was saying sometimes when a person draws out a word it can mean the opposite like If I said I Reeeaaly like the color blue then I would actually mean-"

I could tell that what she was saying was very important to her but I could not quite find the energy to focus on her speech with the way she was leaned over the table using her elbows to prop her up and gesturing with her hands to put emphasis on words for reasons I could not quite grasp. In that position I could see down the front of her shirt… And I found myself agitated when she pointed at herself or crossed her hands or laced her fingers as she gesticulated, because my view was being constantly interrupted…. What is this called? I know that there is a name for my train of thoughts… Oo! I know it's called, "Having my mind in the gutter." Yes that's it I-… Yang uses that term when boys' cross-examine her… And she quite plainly uses it to make them feel shame and embarrassment…. Maybe I should listen to what Ruby is saying?... Hmm Yea I'll do that now, and when we shower tonight I can get a much nicer look at-"

** Blake**

I glance up to look at the room again, I find that I'm just as captivated by the beautiful scene my friends and I have created as I'm interested in my book. Hmm. Penny's looking at Ruby like she's trying to hide something. Is she checking Ruby out? Oh how cute, and I can tell that Ruby notices it. And it looks like her position on the table is rather uncomfortable… Hmm, is she giving Penny a show on purpose? And… hmm, if I'm not too much mistaken, Ruby is trying to attract Penny. those are some very subtle hints she's dropping... Penny can't tell that's what she's doing. And Penny is already attracted to Ruby but doesn't have the faintest idea of how to be seductive or alluring or even subtle for that matter, so she's basically handling it like a second grader. Oh how cute.

**Later, RWBY Dorm**

After the five members of team R.W.B.Y. bid their farewells to Ginger and returned home the girls were feeling a wide range of emotions. Penny and Ruby were plotting to win the affections of the other, (It could be as easy as "This is how I feel how about you?" but when is it ever easy?) Yang was trying very hard to very subtlety win Blake's attention, Weiss felt that she had fallen in love with Neptune but suddenly wasn't sure she should try to be anything more than his friend considering the huge military operations they were all about to participate in. Maybe after the war...?

Blake was so absorbed in her new-found sense of security that she didn't notice Yang's attraction to her.

Penny did in fact chicken out of peeking on Ruby, Yang and Weiss startled the room by sitting down and making movie plans for next Tuesday. A few more hours past, some studying was finished by Weiss and Penny, Ruby refocused Crescent Rose's scope, and Yang watched the tail end of a football game on her Scroll.

The day ended, the night began, then the Sun returned to reclaim its domain.

And so it was for the remainder of the first week of two. They forged closer bonds of friendship, they discovered new passions. Weiss and Neptune shared a kiss in that time. And Yang watched Sun pick up Blake for a date. Yang did not do anything to stop it, though she hatted it. Ruby and Penny continued to flounder with one another. Their lives brightened and darkened in that time. The second week was beginning, and the shadow of war began to loom closer.

Week two of vacation began. And with it, an unfriendly reminder came. While Yang sat in the team R.W.B.Y. dorm alone. Her sister was off somewhere with Penny, Weiss was with Neptune, and Blake was with Sun. Yang's' company arrived just before lunch.

**Yang**

My stomach growled at me. So I growled right back. I had no appitite so my stomach could just friggin stomach it. After watching the way Blake looks at Sun for the last half week I thought I might just be sick. But finally I got up and grabbed some chips and a can of soda plopped down on the sofa and clicked on some music. I had five minutes of peace.

"Knock-Knock"

I fling an eyebrow up into my forehead just daring it to be someone at the door who wants to waste my time. After all I'm alone on a Sunday morning while my crush is on a date with someone else.

"Hello? Who is it?"

"Silas Arnost"

That sent chills down my spine. I had already been told who Silas was. My much abused squad member who I would be in charge up.

"Come in?"

The door handle turns and in stoops hands down the biggest dude I've ever seen

He is easily eight feet tall, His hair is black and auburn, he is a Faunus, with tiger's ears on top of his head. His body has three visible tattoos. On his left shoulder is a black circle with three read claw marks and a drop of blood inside. On his left wrist is a sleeve that depicts the faces of men and women. It reaches up to his left shoulder but stops short of it being a part of the first tattoo. All of the faces look dead.

The last tattoo is on his right side, just below his right peck and back away from his abs. It was a diamond shaped tattoo that looked more official than decorative. It read "#62, Tiger. Tier 1."

It must have been his slave mark in the fighting pits. His chest was entirely bare and he wore an old pair of blue jeans and ragged brown flip-flops.

"Are you Captain. Xiao Long?"

His voice was not cold or warm. He had asked a question, devoid of interest or displeasure, natural but in a neutral way. I still felt... I don't know how I felt at being called Captain.

"Yep that's me…. Wanna er… sit down? Grab a drink?"

He did as much but more like he was following an order than accepting an offer.

"So uh, I'm goanna call Nora and you can meet her and stuff, but I don't know Nina so I guess we'll meet her when we meet her."

I flicked open my Scroll to call Nora (Who was probably bothering Ren), when Silas spoke up.

"I work with Nina's team often. I could call her if you wish it."

"Yea sure that's cool."

He pulls out his Scroll, which looks pretty high end, and calls the remaining member of our Squad. Nora shows up without answering my call, it rings for a few seconds then she pops her head in the door and asks.

"You need me to pick up, or we good?"

"Yea it's all cool, this is Silas, he'll be rolling with us next week, He's calling Nina right now."

"Who's Nina?"

"Uh, well she's our forth body, but I don't know her myself except by name. We'll meet her soon."

Silas gave Nina the instructions to my place and within five minutes she was there. I had Nora leave the door open. When she arrived, I thought there had to be a mistake. She was head and shoulders shorter than Nora! Her tiny body was wrapped in a typical Beacon uniform. Nora however thought Nina was great.

"Whoa! You're Nina? I'm Nora and this is Yang our Squad leader. Wazzup?"

The miniscule member of team C.N.D.Y. responded just as fast as Nora, and her voice! She was as squeaky as a chipmunk! Honestly she might be shorter than that cheeky bi'atch Neo. Her hair was brown, kept in pigtails on the side of her head with little green bows. She wore a green silk choker with a bell on it. I had the feeling the bell was not their by accident…. Maybe I'll suggest the same to Ren? He could give it to Nora as a gift.

"Meh not a whole lot, my teammates are all off on missions right now, they're like, Supper tough and can fight lots of Grimm by themselves but I'm still here cuz-I-hafta-be-on-tha-wrecker Squad. Can we hang out for a little bit? I'm sorta board."

Nora hopped into Nina's lap (Suddenly Nora looked big…er).

"We can totally hang out Nina-pooh! The four of us can be best friends!"

Oh crap.

"Hehe, um are you sure we need to hang ou-"

Silas's ears flicked up.

"Hmm. This is good… we can adjust to one another's aura. Get used to each others presences.

**Later. Uptown Vale. **

After about two seconds of asserting my authority as the squad leader I found myself either overruled or ignored.

Probably Ignored.

Silas had invited us to his apartment in uptown Vale witch he shared with is team leader, Cassandra Delany. I understood why and was grateful for it just a few moments after we walked in. Once we reached the door he unlocked it and swept the twins inside who launched themselves through the door so quickly I feared they would break something. But he stopped me with a gentle touch on the shoulder.

"Captain. I lit a powerful incense to calm the two of them. If you or I go in without our Auras intentionally at the ready, we may be overwhelmed."

I blinked in surprise.

"You knew they would be like this?"

He nodded. "Yes I did, Nina is kept under control by her team, but Nora is known as the 'Queen of the castle' and she is known as this far and wide. I know Nina on a personal level, If given the freedom to roam, she would be just as infamous as Nora. Keeping this in mind I decided to lay a trap for them. The incense will not knock them out, but they will be very mellow."

I smiled in relief. "Thank you Silas, and I think I know who my second in command is for this mission."

Silas nodded and smiled slightly. The two off us flared or Auras.

We entered to find that neither one of them still had the energy to bounce off of the walls like a pair of bottle rockets. The apartment was actually more of a condo… A BIG condo. The kind of condos movie stars die in. It had a huge glass staircase at the far end of the sitting room, a mini bar just under the stairs and these huge windows that overlooked the city-scape. The glass was faded in such a way as it looked like sunset even though it was only three O'clock. The over all feel was moody and slightly classy. Old money. I noticed the girls had stopped to stare in awe at something in a large room attached to the sitting room. They stared in awe at the massive armory that held Silas's weapons. I stared in awe too.

The gauntlets alone could fit Nina and Neo inside, but the armor was just insane. After staring for a few minutes I finally managed to grasp what it was I was looking at.

Just off of the sitting room was an armory, several blunt force weapons lined the walls. Axe's and clubs, maces and war-hammers. And more than a few bazookas and rocket launchers and grenades. Grenade launchers, Gatling-guns and ablative hammers. And in the center stood a suit of iron-black upper-body armor with a single word stamped into the right shoulder-plate. 'Berserker' The weapon was comprised of two gauntlets with bladed knuckles that stuck out like studded knuckles might. The gauntlets really lived up to their name in that they had five separate fingers on each hand. All ten fingers had blades tipping them off like razor sharp claws. The gauntlets were attached to flex plate armor designed to bend as the arm does. The shoulder plates wrapped around to the shoulder blades and covered the spine when worn, the spine plating was attached to a heavy belt that had blast flaps hanging from it to help protect Silas from any stray bullets. An immense hammer's head was buckled to the right hip and the detached handle hung from the left hip. The front of the armor did not cover the torso, at most the armor covered the wearers collar and neck but would otherwise continue to expose Silas's torso. A masque sat at the summit of the pile of mettle and spikes, it was wrought in the shape of a blood-mad tiger, the lower jaw was open. Possibly for Silas himself to be able bite freely.

"Its like… Huge man."

"It is my pride."

A flat cold voice cut through my marveling at the biggest wearable weapon I had ever seen.

"Yes don't get to excited. Everything about him is big…..Everything."

I pivot to look up at the source of the voice, and find her descending the stairs. A young beautiful woman with satin black hair, in a deep violet silk robe adorned by spider-web patterns racing across it's surface. She strutted lazily towards us down her stairs. I had noticed a profound distinction between Silas and the style of his place. I had guessed as much, that it was really Cassandra's residence more so than Silas's.

"Yo. So I guess your Cassandra? Weiss say's she knows you."

"Hmm yes I know Weiss. She and I are close friends."

Cassandra reached the bottom of the staircase and gestured at the room and Silas in one motion then looking me in the eyes.

It was clearly a question.

My response was respectful and purposely humble.

"I'm not so sure my opinion could be of much value to you."

The heiress to the Delany Dust Company cocked an eyebrow. (She still looked expressionless though)

"It is of great value to me. Weiss tells me much about you and often Miss Xiao Long."

"Hehe, you uh can call me Yang, that's fine"

She smiles…. I think? I guess that's a smile for her.

"Weiss has told me very much about you, and your Sister Miss Rose and your friends, Miss Belladonna and Miss Penny.

I can tell you that you are all of great value to her. So I chose to feel great value for you as well. You see Weiss is the only family I have aside from Silas. My teammates are acceptable associates, however we do not typically liaise without perceptible effort. So I ask again 'friend-of-my-sister'. What do you think of me and my lovers home?"

As she had spoken she had walked calculatedly towards the four of us until her speech ended with her poised beside her man, a hand placed gently on his shoulder. (A full foot above her head)

I could sense that my answer should not be instant, but neither should it be long in coming. I Glance up to take in a new detail. A massive chandelier made of prismatic glass hanging above us. I lower my gave back to her.

"You have an appreciation for things I do not. But I think it's a good reflection of who you both are." I shrug. "You've got great digs guys."

"….. I like your answer…. Yang." Cassandra looks up to Silas who bends down to kiss her delicately on the lips.

"I'm going out. Don't break anything."

Cassandra Delany coolly glides back up her crystal stair.

The remainder of my visit with Silas was actually rather nice. (Since he basically drugged Nora and Nina) He unfortunately could not promise me the same luxury next time, as it was rather rude to drug your friends… Fine, whatever. But we did share our weapons with one another. Silas thought our weapons looked fragile, but I reminded him that not all of us are walking mountains.

Nina it seemed carried a gauntlet/boot combo. While she could strike out with her armored fist and feet and make contact that way, she preferred to use her weapons as a focus for her semblance, to lift stone and soil to use as a weapon, (I was reminded that Blake had said she dropped an entire fortress on some Grimm once.) Nina's semblance was simply to command earth and stone. She designed her weapons to amplify her abilities ten fold. She named her weapons the "Tanker-Bells".

Silas's Semblance was a lot like mine, with a key difference. The more he bleeds the better. His blood will ignite into what he calls his "Blood-Fire" once he's fully wreathed in the flames he becomes close to unstoppable. A lot like myself, but the dangers to his life, and his sanity, are very present. If he is aflame to long, he'll go berserk. Ironically that is the last thing we want to happen despite his weapons name. Of coarse he did hint to me that If the monster me and my sister faced off with is not alone next time… He might have no other choice. I find myself very determined to NOT let that happen. He did not share my sentiment.

**Delany condo. Sundown. Yang**

The sun radiated a ruddy red glow in the sitting room.

The city below, that had been asleep all day, was beginning to awaken. Just in time to bid the light good night. A new kind of day was awakening below. Red shades and black suits. Girls in miniskirts and little-black dresses. Guys who found it was "T-Shirt time" and had dressed accordingly. The dark and disturbed half of Vales population was rising. Soon Champaign would be opened. Booze guzzled and players slapped… And players rewarded for their efforts. Drugs would be vended and prostitutes brokered. Men would die at the end of a thugs gun. Boys who thought themselves men would cower under just as many guns barrels. And pray for mercy. Some would get it. Those that don't? The V.P.D. might find the bodies in the river. Or might not find them at all.

But we still had some light up here. Up on high. Above the scum and lost souls and murderers we swear to protect…..

"Yang It might be prudent to consider it as an option."

"Nope."

"Captain ma'am, If it's the difference between victory and defeat I think it is a viable option."

"Listen Silas, I said no. If we get surrounded by those monsters we retreat. No berserker rage, no suicide charge to let the others escape."

"Hm? The others? I was under the impression you knew I was referring only to myself. I did not realize you would join me in the charge."

I blush slightly. If he disobeyed my orders (Or wasn't able to obey them) I knew I would "Flame on" and back him up. But I had not intended to let him know that. Oops.

"Silas…."

He smiled at me.

"We are the Wreakers Captain. We might have to live up to that name. Also remember it is the reason our similar skills were put together in one group. Prof. Ozpin wants an execution team. Cass and Grayson are being called the "Reapers" alongside Weiss and your friend Penny. We will be expected to complete our mission soon enough. We might not be afforded the luxury of surviving the battles to come."

I turned away from him. It did not make me comfortable to hear those words. Especially when I knew they are true. We might die. In a weeks time we could be dead. I stood and ascended Cassandra's crystal stair to look directly out of the windows. I stood bathed in crimson light. I was forcefully reminded of the Bleeding plains. Of the terror I felt when that monster hit me. It hurt so badly. I felt like my insides had been knock out of place. I stood in the red light of todays dying sun and looked out over the city. I could see for miles up here. I could see as far as Beacon. To my right glowed beacons faint green light. Surrounded by the fading sun as it bled its last for this day. To my left the sun was as an eye filled with blood. And I knew it was true. I might go out in a blaze of Blood and Fire. And it could quite possibly change nothing. It might win us nothing.

I shivered in the warm glow.

**Ozpin**

As I look out over the court-yard of my school and watch Ruby and Penny laugh and play. Weiss scolding the two to come inside due to the hour. As I watch Bartholomew through his office window. As I accept my cup from Glynda. As I take a sip. And as I watch over the myriad of students flowing through my halls. I am also watched. I turn to the red eye in the west.

An omen. A threat. A promise. The end is beginning. One thing I am grateful for. All good things must end yes true. But so to must the darkness fade before the suns rise. In spite of the many tears we shall shed in the coming night. The night is darkest before the dawn.

"professor Ozpin Sir."

I turn to the voice. Coco.

"Yes Miss Adel?"

"Professor Port and I have returned from our mission."

"Ah good, where is Peter now?"

"He's recovering in the hospital wing sir."

"I see. Getting on in years isn't he?"

"We killed it."

"Good. Was it anything like the one in Miss Xiao Longs reports?"

"No. It was worse. It had armor. I could barely penetrate the thing. It was something else…. _more_ than whatever the creature from the plains was. Stronger."

"That is… Distressing news."

"yea. And if I may speak candidly sir?"

"Absolutely."

"We should not send in teams fewer than four against these… 'Monarchs' as you called them"

"Thank you Miss Adel"

"That's not all. Grayson's ship was just behind us. He'll be here any second… My I..?"

"Yes you may"

Coco and I wait for only a few minutes before Grayson joins us on the balcony. He looks bad. His hat and coat are gone. His body is wreathed in bandages.

"Hey guys. Sup?"

"Crap Phire what happened to you?"

" Well the… What had happened was…"

I place my mug on the banister.

"Grayson in my recent experience. That Is not a good thing to hear from a person your age. Spare us no detail."

"Well from what Port told me and from what he looked like, me and rem would have been sittin' pretty against your Grimm. And you two would have blown ours to kingdom come. From what I can tell of those ruins they once housed some of the strongest Monarchs, but now its not much more than a barracks. I THINK the old ones have suffered some kind of extinction. Maybe a civil conflict for dominance? But my final analysis is gonna be that they got themselves a brand spankin new army. All skeleton looking things with old busted swords and basic spears and bone weapons. Not very strong alone, no way, but ten at once? Twenty? Two-hundred? A thousand? They're mass producing Grimm, not focusing on just strong ones, rather they're trying to overwhelm us with numbers. And the old kings had HUGE fortresses back in the day. Plenty of space to store those cheep suckers. I'm pretty sue Coco hear could take em almost single handed. Until she has to reload. Then its game over, they'll mob her. The, uh, um.. Oh! The "Rattlers" That's a cool name, they aint _strong_, but they're fast. About three fourths as fast as any monarch Grimm. So slow enough to not get mobbed on sight but fast enough to overwhelm in the time it takes to reload a clip."

Coco stomped her foot on the ground in frustration, then turned to Grayson.

"where's rem?"

"Well… She had to go back to her folks."

"What? Why"

"…She lost an eye."

"She what?"

"Yea. She lost her left eye in the fighting. It was a lucky shot the Grimm that stabbed her was actually surprised it landed a hit. It started laughing like a kid who shot the target at the fair ground with the BB gun. She went back to the Europa family estate to ask her mom if she can have her eye."

Coco balked

"Her mothers eye? What the hell?"

"Well the Europa's can do that. Their semblance is shared family wide. It is utterly unique."

"And what pray is their semblance?"

"The uh, Europa family ability when active looks like a pair of cats eyes. Specifically they go totally black except the slit which turns white. When they master their gifts the white slit twist into an infinity sign. After that one of two things happens, either they can continue to use their gifts and hella well too… Or they slowly begin to become catatonic. Only their family can keep them awake or sane."

"Oh my god. Then If Rem masters her eyes she might become crazy useful… Or she could go crazy?"

"Yep. But apparently it becomes super difficult to master someone else's eyes, or well 'eye' in this case. It should be easier to get her back to full vitality since she only has to replace one eye."

"Do you have any idea how weird it is to casually talk about someone going home to mommy to borrow an eye?"

"Well I don't think Midna, that's her mother, will want her eye back once it's been in her daughters head. Rem would never ask her little sister or younger cousin for one of their eyes. Because apparently if someone younger gives an eye to someone older they transfer up memories too. If Rem gave her mother's eye back then she'd also be giving her memories to her mother too. An uncomfortable process I hear."

"Yea. Memories, that's the gross part. 'Eew'."

"Well yea that's the report. And Rem should be back in a week. The procedure will take a while."

I lift my mug back up to my lips before responding.

"Domino Squad will be delayed then. Miss Adel I want C.F.V.Y. doing the planned scouting until then, am I clear?"

"Yes Professor Ozpin."

"Very good. The two of you are dismissed"

Glynda had been listening behind us until I dismissed them.

"Oz… this is severe. Can we afford to wait another week? Miss Europa has already lost an eye for gods sake. And that was strictly a scouting mission."

I take a deep breath. I can hear the sound of laughter and merriment below. Children are at play. So innocent. So worried about test scores and popularity and crushes. So innocently blind to the approaching darkness. The sun is beginning to fade. The hands on the clock slide by ambivalent to our cry for more time. The light is no longer filtering through the courtyard. The children have gone soundly to bed. And all to soon I must sound the horn that wakes them for battle myself. Strangely it is more difficult to do… knowing they will go willingly to war.

It would seem that this night will be moonless and starless too.

And so very dark.

A.N.

So I had to start looking for a new job…. That takes time from this. Sorry.

On a lighter note, I have made a new Facebook page that will be used for small progress reports instead of you guys thinking I put up a new chapter then it's just me going "hey… I'm not done yet but just you wait I got this" Its "Hollowman Hollowfire" Just punch that into the facebook search engine and it'll pop right up. (It's Green)

Now. How did you like it? Goood? Baaaad? I would very much like to know. Thank you

H.M. 6/8/15


	7. Chapter 7 Departure

R.W.B.Y.

A bleak end

Chapter 7

Can you see me?

**Ruby**

I was running.

Why am I running?

From what?

To who?

The world around me was red. I could hear a rolling growl, thunder. Disjointed images assailed my mind, made me feel afraid. I was bent over vomiting into an alley; I was splattering the brains of Grimm all over the battlefield. I was chasing an orange and green blur. I could feel my chest heaving as I cried, because my mother would never come home. I felt terror as red eyes stared at me from behind a white mask.

Then everything was sharp and distinct. I could see it again. But I was alone this time; Penny is not here with me. The monster steps forward and I smoothly lift my weapon. I step forward too.

I go to meet him in battle. I whimper in fear. I don't want to fight it alone.

"You don't have to Ruby."

"I don't want to fight it alone."

"I won't let you fight it alone. I'm hear Ruby."

"Where?"

Penny falls in stride beside me. Her swords are everywhere.

"Right hear silly." She smiles. Her face is so beautiful, her auburn hair dancing in the light of a rising sun.

Then everything is silent. Then I see nothing, only darkness, suddenly I'm unarmed. And everything is soft?

Then a flat warm something presses against my forehead. I can see something green glowing in the darkness, an eye.

"A nightmare… I'm sorry for waking you up Penny."

"It's okay Ruby."

From below I hear a "Huff"

"Yes I suppose it is okay" A third voice joins the darkness.

"You 'suppose'? It's not like she woke you up Weiss."

"Oh? And how would you know."

"I can see you in the dark remember. You're not sleeping." A forth voice joins the darkness.

"And if you're watching Weiss not sleep, then you're not sleeping either Blake."

The bed beneath me creaks.

"None of us are of course…. I'm going out."

I can hear Yang sit up in her bed.

"Going out where?"

"It's none of your busi-…. Well. I… I want to see Neptune. Is all…"

"Go." I whisper.

"….Thank you ruby." Weiss leaves.

"Welp, let's get what sleep we can." Yang hops out of her bunk.

"Hey!?"

"Chill out Blake. 'You look warm' too…"

"Yang… Just bring your own blanket.

"Alright."

I can hear the rustle of sheets. Then some huffing. Blake's bed squeaks. Then they settle in. Within five minutes Blake and Yang are asleep.

"Ruby?"

"Yes Penny?"

"Do you like me?"

"Of course, I like you just fine."

"That's not what I meant…"

"I… I Know."

"So do you?"

"Do you need to know?" She stops to think for a minute.

"Yes."

"Why did you wait until now to ask?"

"I was afraid."

"Are you afraid now?"

"Yes. But now I'm afraid of something else."

"Huh… I guess we all are."

"Well?"

My answer to Penny was long in coming. But finally I decided to just tell her.

"Yes."

Next to me penny grew very still. Her body seemed to get warmer.

"Really? You really do?"

"Penny… After. After it's all over. That's when I'll say it out loud. That's when we can try but not today ok? Not today. Not with war so close. Do you understand?"

"No… Yes… But Ok. Not today. Ok…"

"I'm sorry."

She didn't answer. I pulled her very close to me. She tucked her arms against her chest and buried her face in my shoulder.

It's all over; the last safe place is gone. We have no safe haven left to us.

If I was having nightmares, I was probably not the only one. We couldn't sleep because our time was up. Our two weeks were over.

We receive our orders tomorrow.

**Ruby. Morning**

Professor Ozpin sat in our dorm with a cup of hot chocolate I had prepared for him. He sipped it once, grimaced, and then began rolling out or orders.

"Miss Xiao Long you are to report to the landing bay at noon, Miss Schnee and Penny, you are to report to the landing bay by sundown. I will explain one more time. Yang you are in charge of the Wreakers, Nora, Nina and Silas will be present with you when you depart. Weiss and Penny the two of you are going to report to Mr. Grayson Phire and Cassandra Delany. They are your commanding officers.

I have your official military ranks written down right here; you will need them to command Atlesian Droids.

Ruby Rose, Captain.

Weiss Schnee, Lieutenant, senior grade.

Blake Belladonna, Lieutenant, senior grade.

Yang Xiao Long, Captain.

Penny, Lieutenant Commander.  
"Also the ranks of your fellow squad members are as follows.

Grayson Phire, Captain.

Cassandra Delany, Commander.

Silas Arnost, Commander, per your request miss Xiao Long.

Nina Pixie, Lieutenant, junior grade.

Lie Ren, Commander, per miss Rose's request.

Rem Europa, Lieutenant Commander

Nora Valkyrie, Lieutenant, senior grade.

"Any questions?"

"Um yes." said Weiss slowly.

"May I ask why Penny outranks both Blake and I?"

The headmaster smiled.

"Because she already has extensive experience working alongside the Droids of Atlas, nothing more I promise."

"Uhhhh, Professor I noticed that you didn't give me or Blake our assignment."

"Hm? Oh yes you two have been put on hold for another two weeks. I'm afraid, that during our preliminary scouting your teammate Rem was injured, she is expected to make a full recovery but in the meantime you Blake and Ren will have to wait for her to mend before we can send you out into the field."

I was surprised, to say the least, that all my stress had been for nothing. But I felt no better for the sudden extension of my vacation.

"But Professor I'm ready! And I'm sure Blake and Ren are ready too! Aren't we the scouts? Who can do the scouting that you hand-picked us to do in our place?"

The headmaster gave me a subtle look. Not unkind or strict, nor was it sharp, it was a look that brooked no further argument from me. It was a silent reminder.

I am his soldier. He is my General. And for the first time since meeting Professor Ozpin I could see him for who and what he was; One of the most talented Huntsmen in the world.

My vision shifted like a tinted glass had been pulled away from before my eyes.

Our old soft-spoken headmaster is lethal, deadly and dangerous.

The headmaster spoke one last time and his voice seemed to ring slightly.

"You have you orders Wreakers, Reapers, Domino's. I bid you good fortune."

Yang, Weiss and Penny stood.

"Yes sir."

Wordlessly Yang and Weiss left the room behind Ozpin. I had no doubt that Yang would be back to say goodbye. And I felt no need to ask were Weiss was going, it was to see Neptune of course.

And then we were three.

"Blake, Penny… I-" Blake cut me short.

"Ruby it will be fine."

"But are you sure?"

"Well… No actually. But I feel it will be. I have hope."

Blake said "Hope" so tenderly I wondered about her. She looked different. Peaceful I think.

I turn to Penny.

"How about you though? Are you goanna be OK?"

"Umm… Yes I'll be fine, after all I'll have Weiss, also Grayson and Cassandra are both very powerful."

"Hmmm I don't know if that's what I meant by "alright"'."

Penny blinked; she understood what I was saying now. She turned away and began to assemble her gear. It took her only five minutes, and then Penny stood up strait.

Penny looked like a porcelain doll, sweet… and soft… and sm_ooth_. No more. Her torso was swathed in body armor white in hue with her personal symbol over her left breast. Her shoulders were cased in white combat armor; her legs as well were sheathed in pale boots of a similar but much daintier version of what the soldiers in Atlas wear. She strapped to her forearms pale gauntlets with a rectangular socket on her left arm, which she attached her scroll to.

Then Penny, MY Penny I think, brought down the full reality of what was coming to us down upon me. She reached up to her hair (Armor slightly impeding her ability to do so.) and tugged on her pink bow. She tugged it off allowing her hair to fall lank to either side of her face. Penny lifted a white forehead protector, which also covered her cheekbones, and fastened it onto her head. She reached down to her backpack and fastened it into place.

The Huntress I had known was gone hidden beneath the plastoid armor and the reality of our oncoming future. Only the warrior, solid and weighty in appearance, remained of Penny of Atlas.

**Weiss**

"I don't know if I've ever seen you in pants Weiss."

I huffed as Neptune poked fun at my armor, but otherwise ignored him.

Neptune looked quiet handsome in his plated uniform. He wore two lobstered gauntlets that left his pointer fingers free to pull his weapons trigger. His boots were both tall and gray; his belt looked more like a chain than a proper belt. His plate was flexible so he could use his more acrobatic fighting style. His shoulders had light overlapping plates shaped to flex easily.

My own armor annoyed me. When the armorer was sent to all of us he refused to permit me to wear a battle skirt. I was told that my fighting style demanded something much more flexible than normal plate armor; even splint armor would be too inflexible for me. So he delivered THIS. Scale armor. It was tight and form fitting and certainly possessed a form of savage grace and ferocious splendor. But it wasn't ME It made me look like a dragon-knight or a warrior princess. I felt more at home in my battle skirt, I felt more myself when I stood upon not a battlefield, but a stage. I am a singer, an artist. I am calculating, and I am cunning. But I can't be the singer on the battlefield. My gown allowed me to bring with me into the fire of conflict my personality, who I am. In my silvery-white scale armor, which highlights every curve I have, I feel like a warrior. I am not a warrior… At least I never wanted to be.

**Noon, Ruby**

The air shuddered under the weight of airships of all shapes and sizes. The sound of armored boots marching in synchronous thundered all around me. I embraced Yang, then Nora. I turned to Nina and bent over slightly to hug her. Then I reached up to hug Silas. Both Nina and Silas were visibly surprised by my gesture but made no comment. The four of them were not dressed as Huntsmen and Huntresses.

All four of them looked for the entire world to be soldiers. Silas no longer wore jeans and sandals; he wore huge snowy boots and greaves. His massive weapon replaced most of the standard armor; before he turned to board an Airship that had begun to descend into the landing bay he donned a helm in the shape of a snarling tiger. Nora and Nina looked far more serious than the normally might. Like tiny storm-troopers. And Yang looked ten years older. She was Grave of eye and mouth and also wore the pale armor of the Atlas armed forces. They had become pale soldiers in the armor of silvery Oblivion. Black was of course associated with death, but the blasted garb that we were being squeezed into for this war brought to mind the mask of our enemies. Pale and white with red eyes, indeed my friends and classmates would look more like Grimm when their gear is covered in blood. They looked like done-up army men. I hatted it. They had lost any semblance of Humanity…..Save for, ironically, their weapons.

Silas was wreathed in as much iron black as snowy white. Nora carried Magnhild over her shoulder, and Nina wore on her feet, fist, shins and fore-arms her pink and silver weapons "Tanker Bell". Yang wore her "Ember Celica" over her arms instead of the combat bracers. Yang shot her fist out towards me just as her ride touched down. I thrust my fist out as well, and three others rushed out to meet her from beside me. Our fist bumped for half a heartbeat Penny on my right, Weiss and Blake to my left. Team R.W.B.Y. was not saying goodbye, indeed we said nothing else to one another as Yang and the Wreakers loaded up onto the humming Transports open deployment bay. A group of white Atliesian Droids with gold markings marched on-board behind them and the ship began its ascent.

I looked up expecting to see my sister as a soldier. But I saw her and her team as I always see them. It was the weapons I decided. Their instruments of death were their last display of self, and imagination. I liked that. When faced with death it will be our weapons that protect our lives and allow us to be human, or Faunus.

It was the last I would see of Yang for close to a year.

**Sunset, Ruby**

The scene was both like and unlike the one from noon. The smaller deployment ships were mostly gone already. Now larger vessels had begun to arrive. I stood with Blake and Penny and Weiss. We awaited the arrival of Grayson and Cassandra. To our surprise we were approached by some familiar faces wearing unfamiliar attire.

Sun, Neptune, Juan and Pyrra.

"Hello again!" Gasped Pyrra over the roar of an engine.

"Sup!" Shouted Sun and Neptune together. Juan Smiled and waved.

All three of the boys had been dressed out in the ice-white armor of the other "great warriors" Pyrra had made only one change to her battle raiment. Were typically she let her skin show, she wore a skin tight black cat-suit under her gold and crimson breastplate.

Juan stepped up and roared over the booming of thrusters

"All four of us have been made Majors just below Ironwood and Ozpin, Professor Goodwitch is a Vice Admiral in the fleet but I think she still answers to the Generals on the ground. I was given the 105th battalion and Pyrra was given command of the 88th legion of Commandos."

Neptune shouted out. "And I'm twice as cool, I got the 199th legion, cutting edge and all that good stuff, ya know?" Sun grimaced then told us his command.

"I've got the 73rd army. It's old-school but they are still around for a reason." He smiled. "They've all got low grade dust shielding. It was too pricey to continue to put it into the new models, but it's kept them alive and operational for over twenty years so I can't complain too much I guess." Sun rolled his eyes. "Except I've got the oldest battalion in the army."

I was startled by all this talk of battalions and armys.

"What are you talking about? These Grimm can't be so tough that we would need armies to beat them!"

Pyrra grimaced as she explained.

"Well you see in the last forty-eight hours in has been confirmed that full blown armies of Grimm have begun to amass in the outskirts of civilization. The largest is within a day's march of Vale. All four of us have been ordered to the front lines to repel the assault. General Ironwood and Professor Ozpin will be coordinating the attacks from Beacon academy. If I'm correct then your specialty Squads are searching for the Monarchs, It's our job to hold the armies at bay, or destroy them, until your teams can defeat the Monarchs."

It was right then that Grayson and Cassandra chose to appear.

Grayson wore his gray hat and coat as usual, but had also donned his new Atlas style armor as well.

Cassandra's deep violet robes were slightly open at the front revealing she, like Weiss, had been given scale mail.

They both wore their typical weapons, bulky sheath full of arms and tall purple-on-black staff.

Weiss and Penny stepped up to join them. Grayson shouted something but I couldn't make it out. My partners nodded and turned to me and Blake. Penny and Weiss hugged Blake and me and we hugged them back. Then Neptune gripped Weiss with a fierceness, anguish and longing that I had never seen on anyone's face before, except for Weiss' in direct response to his gaze. Sun kissed Blake too. Almost as passionately, but their embrace was more bitter than longing. I was distracted from the passionate kisses that had just begun between the four, by a sudden blur in my vision. I was choking back sobs of fear and loathing. I wanted nothing more than for this to all be a nightmare, horrible and heartbreaking but still just an illusion. Then Penny walked over to me and held my face in her hands.

"It's okay Ruby. We will all be back soon. Everything will be back to normal before you know it."

She kissed my cheek. I would see Yang and Nora long before I would see Penny again. It would take over a year of fighting. It would take an army of Grimm amassing in apocalyptic numbers. It would take fire raining from the sky before I would see Penny again.

The flagship of the air force then descended from above the clouds. The clouds from below looked like bruises but their crowns radiated a golden nimbus of light that stole my breath. The ship just kept coming and coming it was just so massive.

The ship had to be 2000 feet long from bow to stern. The dorsal section sported an immense launch bay that even from our view on the ground we could see opening. It was deploying a single bullhead, the craft was undoubtedly being sent to receive the Reapers. The four Reapers in question stepped forward. Within five minutes the Bullhead lands. Grayson leads my friends and Cassandra onto the ship; they reach up to grip bars hanging from the ceiling and as they do so they turn around. Grayson reaches up two fingers to the brim of his hat and salutes us by flicking them away from his head. He then shouts out the order to depart, and takes my friends away from me.

Blake reaches out for my hand. She's crying too.

We watch together as the smaller craft begins its return to her mother ship. The clouds that surround the Flagship "Iron-Clad" seem as threatening to me as an army of Grimm surrounding mortal kind. And Blake and I are as insects below helpless to change the verdict passed by fate.

Then a shadow passes over us as the ship departs the clouds whip around into a whirl of light and dark and the sun begins to change hue, from liquid gold to blood red, the crimson shade that our world had shifted to remind me of the little girl that Penny and I found on the Bleeding plains; Blanca.

The girl was pale and pure, innocence incarnate, and guilty of no sin in our world. Yet Blanca died the senseless death that she did. Now all of my friends were shielded by pale and pure body-armor. And when they die and the blood drains from their faces they too will be like Blanca, flotsam in the war that has raged in our world for time out of mind. There will be no killing off the Grimm. But I must wonder if there will be staving off their advance? Will we repel them this time? Will all of our efforts be for nothing? Will our lives color the world in any way? Or are we all just blank souls to glow and peter out as fate and chance decrees?

**Late at night, Ruby**

Blake and I had only returned to the team room once the Iron-Clad had completely disappeared from sight. The room was cold and empty without our other three teammates.

"Ruby, did you hear about the Grimm that took out Rem's eye?"

"Yea, apparently they're just light infantry or something, but they attack in huge swarms. That's kinda scary I guess."

"Yea… Sun was given the oldest Atlesian Legion. Do you think that he'll be OK? Those droids are like fifteen years old. For a battle droid that's rather archaic."

"Blake I think he'll be fine. After all he's thinking of coming home to you."

Blake smiled at that, it was refreshing to see her smile. But I also wondered if Penny and Yang would be OK. I was just as afraid for Weiss and Sun and Neptune and all of our friends. But I guess I'm just being a worry-wart.

I crossed the room to sit in Blake's lap who reached for a quilt on the back of her headboard. She wrapped us up and flicked a spare bullet casing at the light-switch. Darkness enveloped us.

"Ruby, we'll be in the field in a week or so. We won't have the time to worry about them. We'll get to focus on the Grimm, and then when they're all dead we can come home."

"Yea, but who won't come home with us?"

To that Blake had no answer.

A.N.

Oh… that took longer than usual? Sorry. I did notice an increase in my traffic on the 4th of July, very clever folks, I wish I had thought to have it all finished by then, after all July's birthstone is ruby.

Do leave me a comment and let me know how you liked it.

H.M.


	8. Chapter 8 Departure part 2

R.W.B.Y.

A bleak end

Chapter 8

Departure part 2

I won't see you. Now or later.

**Reaper team, Penny**

The drop-ship rattled and shook as the pilot evaded a Nevermore, I was almost thrown to the deck of the ship. Grayson shouted out an order.

"Let's get these doors open and show that scum what for!"

Cassandra stumbled over to the starboard door release as Weiss staggered to the port controls.

"Penny, take these pistols and face the port side, I'll stand at your back and aim starboard."

"Yes sir."

Grayson whipped out his weapon which resembled a twin barreled shotgun, but with a flick of his wrist the handle of his weapon split down the middle. The barrels of his guns flipped back and with a quick tug he had a pair of sawed-of shotguns at the ready.

"Alright ladies, show us the enemy!"

Grayson pressed his back to mine and I pressed my head against his upper back. We lifted our weapons at the ready.

The other girls disengaged the locking mechanisms on the ship and began to count.

"5,4,3"

"Hey Penny?"

"Yes Captain?"

"Don't miss, ok?"

"2,"

"Fat chance of that sir." I engaged my targeting computer.

"1!"

The doors opened and as they were not designed to open during flight they exploded off of their hinges and began to spin wildly back to the earth. The sight that greeted us was unpleasant to say the least as dozens of nevermore surrounded us. Our fighter escorts could barely make a hit. Our first mission had yet to begin but so far we were already losing.

The two of us began to fire madly at anything not made of metal. I blinded two Nevermore before Grayson could hit anything. But refusing to be outdone he re-combined his weapons back into a single unit, a mini-gun, with four barrels; lethal. He sent three to bite the clouds that expanded beneath us like a giant carpet of cotton.

The screen on the pilots' cabin flickered to live. Pyrra had contacted us.

"A bold move Captain, but you almost shot me down."

"Sorry but so long as these stupid birds are up here you're goanna need our help"

"Oh I agree I only-" Pyrra broke of as she focused on piloting her fighter. "I only ask that you be cautious, also your first target is just ahead, I'm leading my wing of the attack force into the clouds I need you to follow."

"Heard." Pyrra nodded and broke contact. My captain kicked the cabin door a few times. The co-pilot stepped out.

"Yes sir?"

"Prepare to follow Major Nikos and the 88th into the clouds, the Majors ship is red and gold, you got me?"

"Yes Captain, we'll follow them down."

The co-pilot retreated into the cabin. Just as Pyrras' sleek dual engine fighter dropped down to our level, the Major gave us a signal to follow and tilted her ship belly up, her wing-men followed her in a V-shape, our ship angled directly behind her. We began our descent.

The trip through the clouds was wet and muffled. But as sordid as the moist clouds were, what awaited us below was outright depressing. A mountain fortress stood tall and chilling surrounded only by the sky. At the foot of the mountain waited an army of monsters of all shapes and sizes, everything from the Rattlers, which Grayson kept going on about, to Ursai and Beowolves. It was going to be a bad day for Major Nikos. But Reaper squad needs to battle our way up a mountain to a fortress at the summit. Crap.

Grayson seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"Look at that damn thing! It's so big! Ugg! I hate Mondays."

Weiss scoffed sardonically. "It couldn't be worse though right?"

Just as she said that the Grimm at the fortress began to load and fire old style cannons… At us.

"Schnee I hate you!"

"It was just a coincidence!" Shouted Weiss as the ship pulled a full out barrel roll to avoid a volley of 24-pound lead charges.

"I find it hard to believe that bullcrap!"

"It's not as if I like being shot at Grayson!"

"Why don't you take your loud mouth and fill it with-!"

Then the cockpit was hit.

The four of us bailed out so fast it was slightly comical, to my shock Grayson had actually spread a pair of ash gray wings and grabbed a crate of ordinance on his way out. I wasn't sure what was more surprising to me even in hindsight. That he was an Avian-Faunus or that he had the foresight to bring thirty pounds of explosives on the fly… Hehehe, "on the fly" Yang would be proud of me.

Grayson was the first one to actually get airborne after bailout. But the three of us were selected to be his teammates for more than one reason it seemed.

Weiss brushed out a Glyph that blasted fire from the bottom like a jet engine, Cassandra simply floated in midair enveloped by a ghostly violet nimbus of light, I deployed my swords but kept them close to my back arraying them like razor sharp wings, and then ignited two high-intensity beams from the firing mechanism. The four of us were in flight. I weaved in and out of the cannon fire with finesse, Cassandra plowed forward like a comet. Any ammo that made contact with the woman's dark energy field simply stopped there stuck in her pulsing energy.

Weiss looked like a shooting star dodging enemy fire with choreographic ease. Grayson looked eloquent and graceful, like an Archangel… But he was slow by comparison.

"ACK! Your three get to the fortress! I'll catch up!"

I could see Cassandra smirk, then she rocketed towards the enemy stronghold collecting ammunition on her way; Weiss flashed past me and then back towards my location, trying to stay near. She shouted out.

"Cassandra is aiming for the base of the castle I suggest we aim for the cannons. She's going to give those creeps their toys back."

"That sounds dangerous."

"That's an understatement. We'll hear it when she reverses the energy field. But if we get too close we'll feel it too."

She had to roll a few hundred feet to the right to avoid a grape-shot.

I too needed to pay close attention to my surroundings to avoid being blasted to pieces.

It took us longer than I would have thought to reach the fortress, Cassandra could move with impunity so she reached our destination first. Once she did she kept going until she was several rooms inside. Then we heard it as we began our approach.

BOOM… CRAck…

Dust billowed out of the lower levels of the mountainside refuge of the Grimm and Cassandra shot back out and up onto the battlements, Grimm rushed her but she was ready. I glimpsed a thread of violet energy as it flashed to life from her stave. Somehow this resulted in two-dozen Grimm flying into open air to their doom. Weiss landed second and began to aid Cassandra by dispelling her flame-Glyph upon landing. Fire dispersed everywhere reducing half a hundred Grimm to ash. As I landed I surrounded myself with my swords creating a makeshift Phalanx. Then as I was indeed encircled by Grimm, I layered my defenses by creating two layers of swords one atop the other. Then I rotated my blades, top layer clockwise bottom counter-clockwise. I stood up and rushed my enemies as a tempest of steel.

Dozens of Grimm died instantly, some made the mistake of attacking from above, but I was too quick for them. I rotated my two layers of swords vertically and horizontally as needed to slice to ribbon anything that got within ten feet of me.

Weiss and Cassandra shattered the gates that opened into the mountains caves. No reinforcements could be called back into the castle. Grayson finally caught back up, descending unto the now clear battlements.

"Excellent work Reapers! And if you cast your gaze yonder and junk, you'll see that major Nikos has engaged the Grimm."

It was true. I approached the ancient crenulations of the stronghold and looked down to the battlefield bellow….

**Pyrra, in battle**

"Fourteen send in the request for artillery fire one hundred feet in front of our vanguard at all times!"

"Yes Major Nikos Request sent, the conditions will be met in 3 minutes 18 seconds."

"Thanks Brass!"

"Pardon me Major, but my designation is Fourteen"

"I know but for humans it's hard to call someone a number. Besides your markings are kind of a brass color, so in my mind it fits. Besides it's shorter than Fourteen. So it takes less time to get your attention."

"I see…. Very well Major."

I turned away from the droid commander to focus on the advancing line of Grimm. It was bad. I have never seen so many Grimm in one place at once, and as terrifying as a nest of Grimm can be, an army of Grimm is a true aspect of terror. Seeing the terror of mortal kind in rank and file sent chills down my spine.

"Major Nikos the artillery unit has begun it barrage, they will be able to maintain constant cannon-fire 100 feet ahead of your van for 22 minutes and 53.5 seconds with an interval of 10 seconds between the cannons discharge."

BOOM

"That was the first discharge, the next should reach its target in ten seconds."

We waited for ten seconds… BOOM.

"Alright that's it time to move the units into position! Brass deploy the force in an "W" formation, if one flank begins to waver send in the reserve units to pick up the slack. I will be at the head of the center wedge, LETS GO!"

I could only vaguely hear Brass say "Yes Major" I was only faintly aware that the Beacon flag was being raised over the castle, I was scarcely aware of the warships dropping in to begin delivering Juan and his troops to occupy the mountain fortress. None of it mattered as I now lived in a world with two options; fight or die. I raised my spear over my head and rushed out of the trenches we had taken so easily from the unprepared Grimm. I abandoned the last safe have I had. If I wanted a new sanctuary then I would have to cut down anything and all in my path. I would have to send to dark oblivion each Grimm that came within my line of sight.

And I could not die.

**Juan, newly captured "Fresh-wind retreat." **

"So you four are absolutely sure that no Monarchs are here? What does that mean exactly?"

Grayson looked distressed as he answered.

"It means one of three things, one the Monarchs can now control their armies over extreme distance, two the Monarch in charge here bailed out when we hit the castle I highly doubt that possibility, OR three…. It's down on the battlefield. I think it may be possible that it abandoned its stronghold so it could push through into Vale. It may intend to punch right through Pyrra's' army and try going straight for the quick kill. This war could be over before it really even begins."

The expressions on the faces of the Reapers where unreadable, but I was done standing around speculating.

"Alright it's settled then we go down and help Pyrra."

"No Juan we can't. General Ironwood gave us direct orders to hold this fortress against any assault. This is to become our last line of defense against the Grimm advance. It is not to be used as an offensive position."

"What! But we can't leave Pyrra down there!"  
"I never said we would, just that you need to follow your orders. We are also supposed to occupy Fresh-wind but so too is Pyrra and the 88th. So Penny and I will, under these odd circumstances, descend to Pyrras' position to escort her to the gates, but it will be your job to get the lower gates back open are we clear? If we get pinned to that mountain then we'll most likely die." He shrugged.

"Yea, dying sucks. I'll have that gate open, the upper gates already are and the 105th is clearing it of Grimm. But it's going real easy so I don't think it'll be long before we can open the way to the foot of the mountain."

"Good man Arc, we'll get your good-gal out of the frying pan before you know it."

I sputtered as Grayson and Penny spread their wings and leapt over the side of the mountain.

"G-g-good girl? She's! Uh, she is my friend! I love her a lot but I, what I mean to say is uh, wait what?"

I heard an amused "Humph" From behind me, I turned to see a grinning Weiss Schnee practically bursting with laughter.  
"Oh but Juan! I thought –Himff- that we had something! Hehehe, special? Right? Hehehe!"

I blushed and began looking for my steward to help oversee the installation of new cannons.

**Penny, midair**

"Grayson sir are you sure we can take a monarch without Weiss and Cassandra?"

"Yep."

"Ummmm. OK?"

"-Sigh- Penny we'll be surrounded by an army of droids and Pyrra will be with us. This thing won't be easy but it'll be about as easy if it were one on four. Pyrra makes up for Cassandras absence and the Ary makes up for Weiss' absence. We'll be fine.

We spotted Pyrra at the front and center of her army, leading the charge. She was reeeeeaaaallly hot.

I had never seen someone move with such grace AND ferocity. She was an ultimate warrior, as we angled in Grayson and I flew past her pulled into a tight upward roll twisted in midair then landed beside her, the knights backed off to give me space, they knew what was coming. Grayson already had his sword out and one of his spare pistols, and had proceeded to go ham on the Grimm. No grace per-say, but he was certainly a formidable foe to be reckoned with. I was a one girl knife factory shooting of lasers at random intervals, though only in the direction of the Grimm. The three of us advanced as fast and ferociously as we could, then at last (three hours later) we stood before the gates of the mountain.

Grayson rushed up to them and began to tug on the doors… to no effect.

He pulled out his Scroll and dialed Juan.

"You Arc I want in bro! It's precarious out here! We just reached the gates but the last of the Grimm are commin' back around to ride our asses!"

"I hear you Captain but we just can't open the doors from our side, Cassandra says that they're sealed from your side."

"What? Why would the gates be sealed from the outside if the fortress is under attack?"

We got our answer as the gates lifted about eight feet up then scraped to a stop.

"Hisssssssssss… Hellooooo Aideen. How have yooou been eh?"

Grayson's face turned as gray as his coat.

"Oh no. I thought you were dead."

The Grimm cackled and stepped into the ruddy glow of the setting sun. Its chest was incased in a breastplate remiss of a ribcage. Its eyes glowed violet and it carried in its hand a sword… with a gray bird on the guard. I enhanced magnification to my eyes and looked and the blade closely. Two stylized words were engraved on the sword from the top to the bottom. "Aideen Phire".

"Captain… Who was Aideen Phire?"

"She… She was the incarnation of me that suffered the most devastating defeat in my entire history.

She was bested by this Grimm… His name is Hades.

"Yeeeaa, that's me. But oh my, what delicate friends you have with you today! I might just take a bite out of them!"

Grayson sneered heartlessly at Hades.

"Yea that's if you can find them old man."

I turned to Grayson curious.

"What do you mean sir?"

"I mean I gave him a parting gift, my past life Aideen was a vicious woman. Her semblance was a scream that could burn her surroundings to a crisp. Hades killed her with a fist in the gut, and she screamed. He's blind now, since he was too close to escape the blast, that's why his eyes are that color.

"Although I had thought he died all together."

Hades chuckled menacingly, with a hint of hysteric rage.

"Oh yes that was a close one, but hey when my wife and children get roasted alive I can't help but hold a grudge. Aideen might still be here if you had just left them alone you little monster!"

"I killed your clan because they slaughtered a village full of innocent people!"

"They defied us!"

"That's how I justify your war against us today! WE are in charge of Remnant now!"

Grayson drew his sword and smiled. He stepped under the gate, which began to close. Pyrra and myself darted under the gate to join him.

"So Hades, don't defy us!"

I stood to his right side and Pyrra took up a defensive posture at his left.

"Pyrra he'll need his sense of smell to fight us, use one of YOUR ways to conceal yourself got it?"

"I understand"

I could now see why Juan couldn't open the gates, and why they appeared to be locked from the outside. We stood in a vestibule. I buffer between the outer walls and the tunnel that ascends the mountain. We had walked straight into a trap.

"Hades, you advanced your armies without the permission of the others didn't you?"

"How'd you guess?"

"You always were the vengeful sort."

"On the mark Aideen."

"How'd you guess it was me? Before I mean?"

"I will never forget the shape of the Aura that killed my family."

Chills went up my spine.

Grayson understood as well, he had devolved a new form of sight, Hades could see Aura!

"MOVE!"

But it was too late.

Hades moved like a bolt of lightning, Pyrra stepped out in front of him with her spear out, and got her spear cut in half in addition to her chest. Pyrra fell back to the ground bleeding out. I had no time to check her. My swords began to spin as fast as I could make them go. I charged Hades.

"PENNY NO!"

The most curious sensation overtook me. My swords rang as they hit the floor of the chamber, I watched in mild confusion as my feet twitched right in front of my face.

The chamber roared with the mad din of combat, one on one. The Phoenix and the keeper of the underworld clashed like righteousness and sin.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew several things. I was terrified, and in agony. I had been beaten faster than I could perceive. And… I had been cut clean in half. My body was severed at the stomach, if I were human or Faunus I would be dead. My vision blinkered out. And all thought and memory ceased for me.

**Penny, Fresh wind retreat medical tower**

"Ugg… I feel funny."

I looked up to see an unfamiliar celling. Then I glanced over to my left. I mass of bandages and I.V. drips was all that I could see of the poor person. I couldn't even tell if it was a man or woman. Then I tried to sit up. I couldn't.

"Whoa there miss Penny! Ease up. You aren't going anywhere without your legs!"  
"What?"

Then I looked down at myself. From mid abdomen I was gone.

"Oh yea that happened."

The woman who had spoken looked both familiar and completely new.

She had long silver hair and Green eyes. She had the figure of a super-model, but wore the attire of a warrior. A voluminous gray coat was draped over the chair she sat in.

"GRAYSON! Is that you?"

She giggled girlishly.

"Hardly!" She fanned her wings then rolled them in their sockets. "Grayson was nowhere near as graceful as I!"

"I see… Then what should I call you?"

"Well I think since it was Hades who killed me and all that I should use that old name Aideen."

"But Captain if he killed you then what are we doing here?"

"Well you see I was a total goner! So I did the only thing that I could do to win the fight. I put my gun in my mouth and pulled the trigger!"

"WHAT!?"

She shrugged.

"If I die I'm reborn in fire, but if I kill myself on purpose I explode! I quite literally suicide bombed him, except I was about to die anyway, so I was mostly getting the best out of my failure."

"Then… How did me and Pyrra survive the blast?"

Aideen grimaced.

"Well you actually got kicked into a far wall during the fight, but um… Have you noticed your neighbor here?" She pointed her thumb at the occupant of the other bed.

"Is… no. that's not right! Is that Pyrra?"

She nodded slowly.

"Juan was able to stabilize her with a touch, but she been messed up, so that's all he could do.

She should recover, within a week or two."

I leaned back into the pillow.

"Oh my god."

"I know sweetie, but it's alright. Hades was always mono-logging. He gave up the goods on his comrades. If he wasn't such a vengeful wraith we might never have had this opportunity.

But you rest up. General Ironwood sent a few new upgrades your way. They will be here tomorrow. Until then sleep it up. Once the Fortress is full secure we will get new orders."

"Yes captain."

Aideen stood up and twirled her coat up onto her back. She also lifted the sword that Hades had been carrying when he confronted us onto her sholder.

"Captain. Why couldn't Pyrra or I block that sword?"

She turned to me wearing a sad smile.

"My old swords name, or I should say MY swords name, is "Phasma Phasmatis". That means "Ghost"

"This sword cannot be blocked. I failed to warn you in time. So you both lost in one stroke. It is a formidable weapon. And seeing as how my new toys got melted I'll use this again from now on. It is mine after all. But that's enough Penny. Rest, that's an order."

So I rested.

When will I rest forever I wonder? Will it be soon? I hope not.

A.N.

I decided that rather than bringing you to the battlefield, that I would instead bring it strait to you, to skip the formalities and just jump right into the fire. I hope you liked it. Please comment and have a nice week, August is coming and all the tots will be going back to class. So enjoy the last days of the summer of 2015.

H.M.


	9. Chapter 9 It kills me

R.W.B.Y.

A bleak end

Chapter 9

It kills me.

Disclaimer I do not own R.W.B.Y.

**Ruby**

"OWWW!"

I collapsed to the floor of my team dorm in pain. I howled out clutching my pinky toe in anguish and regret.

"Ruby, are you alright?" Blake looked down at me quizzically from Yang's bunk.

"I'm fine." I gasp out.

"I just rammed my pinky toe into the dresser."

Blake smiled sympathetically at me.

"Oh. I see, I suggest you wear slippers or flip-flops around the dorm. It might save you some pain."

"I guess." I grumbled.

But I was too anxious to stay in the dorm any more. I had been forced to wait for six days before Professor Ozpin finally gave Blake, Ren and me the news. Rem Europa was finally ready to return to Vale. Domino squad will be ordered into the field in two or three days' time.

"I'm going out." I said mildly to Blake. At first I was afraid she would want to come with me, but she waved and said "OK". I slipped on a pair of my favorite jeans instead of the holey pajama pants I had been wearing since I woke up, and then pulled on an old pair of boots. The leather was soft and cool.

"Hmmm so nice…" I mumbled. I didn't bother to change tops. I had on a dull red t-shirt, a little big for me, but still cozy enough for the new fall weather outside. Instead of carrying Crescent rose out with me I strapped a gun belt on over my jeans, and holstered two side-arms I had never used before, a suggestion by Ren. He said a few extra guns could never hurt.

"Blake I'll be back…. Well whenever."

"Alright, but try to keep out of trouble… Captain."

I rolled my eyes at the title. I had already told Blake and Ren that they didn't need to call me Captain.

I set out.

**Ruby, Vale**

I blinked in surprise. I had intended to walk the length of campus then go back for lunch. I was in a part of Vale I had never been to before. It looked like a bad place to be in when the sun goes down. I looked left then right back up the street. Then sighed in relief, Scarlet's shop was within eyesight. I had just overshot it by a little. I turned and started walking. Then a pleasant smell drifted under my nose from farther down the street. I turned back around and began looking for the source... A pub, its sign read "Terry Finnegan's Public house." The smell was no doubt delicious. I walked up to the building. Its door was somewhat intimidating, heavy oaken wood with a dark stained glass window; the handle was a twisted branch directly from a tree. I reached out to pull open the door, the handle was very smooth. I opened the door and stepped inside. I saw a small crowd inside, to my left stood stout round tables. A group of men sat around then talking a bit and enjoying a basket of chips with their drinks. To my right stretched a bar with stools. Each one looked like it had been beaten with a bat. But when I approached one and sat down it felt soft, in a homey sort of way. The room itself was rather dim, despite the sun being directly overhead. A man with dark hair stood behind the bar. He seemed pleasant enough.

"What can I do for you today miss? Oh but I'll need some ID if you're wantin' a drink."

"Oh no its fine I'll stick with water, but can I see a menu?"

"Corse you can, here ya go."

I lifted the menu to my face, the first thing on the "Starters" list was the Pickle plate, then Fresh cut chips, and Fried pickles and then Poutine (potato wedges topped with melted cheese curds.) and lastly a cheese plate. But I'm not the kind of girl who needs a starter; I've been known to eat cookies three meals a day. I skimmed the rest of the menu until I found what I was looking for. Midway down the page there was a "Full Irish breakfast" (Banger rasher, black and white pudding, two fried eggs, house baked beans, roasted tomato and soda bread.) I asked the barman if I could place my order, he took it down with a look of mild shock on his face. I don't blame him after all I'm a pretty small girl. I paid and waited for about fifteen minutes for my food. I don't mind the wait at all.

When my meal did arrive I ate in silence, as the sun began to descend, It was a big meal, but was made so hot that even though it was taking serious time to eat, it stayed nice and warm. Finally the sun had begun to descend as I finished the meal. I had felt no reason to rush. I just ate at a steady pace.

Then I sat back on my stool and drank deep of my water. It was cool and smooth. I watched as people walked by the pub. Few came in, and few departed. Then quite suddenly I felt alone, despite the presence of people I felt alone. No impulse to talk to one of the friendly strangers arose. No desire to return to Blake came. Even with Velvet and her shop were so near I decided to stay at the Pub. As I continue to stare out of the window into the ruddy glow of the dying sun. I ponder. I think.

I'm the Captain of a military unit. I am a Huntress of Vale, but I won't be asked to operate as one. I'm a soldier, a warrior, a weapon… That makes me feel sick.

I stand up and leave, putting a tip on the bar in my wake. I take off towards Beacon. I want this day to end. For it to be over and done. I want to do my duty as fast as possible. I will not live a life of war, I refuse. The sooner I get out into the field the better. The faster I kill all of my enemies, the faster I can get back to my life. No one would ever have to wait for anything more stressful ever!

I race for home.

**Wreakers, Yang, Somewhere in the high mountains**

My long coat flaps wildly in the wind that howls like a wounded heart.

The Wreakers had been at this mission for almost a week now. The "Ironclad" dropped us off only an hour after we departed Vale. At first I thought it was going to be a pointless desk job when we landed at the relay station. I was wrong, we needed to get the relay station (called "Relay-Heavy") back online and to then sync-up our scrolls to the primary-blah-blah, technical stuff. It took us all of three hours then it was out into the ice and snow. The cold didn't bother me at all; indeed it bothered no-one on my squad. The four of us trekked over hill and mountain and stone and rock. We followed the coordinates given to us by C.F.V.Y. Our scouts marched ahead of us by two hours. They would engage any hostiles that they could alone, as quickly and quietly as they could, if not? They would fall back and wait for our arrival. If the dangers that mount before us are too great for one team alone, then the eight of us would stand in bloody battle together. To my utter annoyance that has yet to happen for us, in any form. Every several hours Velvets voice would float into our ear pieces and inform us "Threats detected" And then Silas would respond "Wreakers on standby" But each and every time for six days Velvets voice would drift back over the link, "Threats neutralized, Wreakers hold position." And my commander would do the damn honors and reply "Understood" and the cycle would resume.

A vicious cycle I felt. And I was ready for the most tedious tedium of my life to end. I want to just go at it! To swing my fist into Grimm until only black smoke is left behind.

I feel a tap on my shoulder.

"Whoa! Oh, it's just you. What's up Nora?"

Nora has to shout over the now wailing wind.

"Do you smell that?"

"What? Should I smell something?"

Silas jerks to a halt and places a single hand over Nina's tiny shoulders. He points his free hand to the west. I stagger through the snow up onto a large rock and look down. Below me I can just barely make out the shape of a valley extending out into the distance. Fumbling with the pouches on my belt I rummage about for my binoculars, a flat smooth object that can see strait through mist and snow. I look down into the valley and get the sensation of walking into a nightmare.

"C.F.V.Y!" I choke into my wrist-com. "C.F.V.Y. to my coordinates, now!"

Coco's voice snaps over the channel. "We're en-route, five minutes tops." For a split second her channel remained open, in that second I could hear her accelerate so quickly that the winds wail turned into a banshee's shriek.

"Captain, what's wrong?" asked Silas as I slid quickly down from my granite vantage point.

"Shut up and don't move until the scouts get here." I reached out for Nora and Nina pressing them firmly onto the ground. Silas unbuckles his hammer from his belt and quickly jabs the handle into its head.

We wait. Six minutes. Seven…

"Yang!, we're hear what's wrong?" I grab Coco's wrist and press my binoculars into her hands, then point into the Valley.

Her face was flushed from the cold of the mountain tops, but as she took in the nightmare below us Coco began to grow pale. By the time she lowered the scopes and handed them back to me, she looked ill.

"So…. So many? I don't….. HOW?"

"I don't know "C" but all that matters is that we get a transmission through to Vale ASAP."

Coco nodded fervently in agreement as she pulled out her scroll and dialed the relay station.

"…..-Beeeep- This is Relay-Heavy we are receiving you, begin your transmission."

"This is acting-chief scout Coco Adel and," I press my cheek against Coco's, "And Wreaker Captain Yang Xiao-long,"

"We are reporting extreme Grimm activity in our immediate vicinity, numbers are beyond our ability to measure, requesting immediate assistance from the 199th legion."

We waited.

"We regret to inform you that the 199th legion is currently engaged defending Fresh-Wind retreat from an assault."

I could taste blood in my mouth from anger.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN? Aren't the 88th and the 105th AND the Reapers currently fortifying that location?"

"Yes Captain they are however Major Nikos is currently on life support and Lieutenant Commander Penny has been cut in half. Captain Phire also died in the fighting and his reincarnation has assumed command of the 88th legion. I will however be dispatching the 73rd legion to your location in addition to team C.R.D.L."

"Huff, fine its better than nothing isn't I, how long till they get here?"

"It will be five twelve hours before the 73rd and Team C.R.D.L. will arrive."

"Fine whatever, just give us an hour's heads up so we can keep the element of surprise."

"Understood Captain Xiao-Long."

The line went dead.

I looked around at the group. Then decided that they would need something to do to stop themselves from freaking out.

"Alright let's get an igloo up over our heads to preserve warmth. It's been a long day so once that's done let's get some shut eye capiche? We'll play rock paper scissors for first watch then we'll take it in hour shifts." I turn to Coco. "Is that alright with you?"

"It's fine."

"Alright then. Get to it."

I was sure that no one would ever have to wait for anything more stressful ever.

**Penny, fresh-Wind retreat infirmary **

The walls shook as our new cannons rained down artillery fire into the invading army's ranks. The lamps above me swayed slightly back and forth. The fortress had been under attack for three hours, but neither Pyrra nor I could do anything to influence the battle. We and a handful of other soldiers lay in various states of disrepair in the Castle hospital helpless as children. The doors to the long room opened, and in strode General Ironwood.

"General?"

"Penny, lie still I need to get to work on you." He raised a data chip up to his eyes and squinted at it. I didn't need to squint to see it. It was not something I was happy to see.

"Mr. Ironwood sir! Why do you have that?" The General seemed to have only half heard me. He responded to me as if it was only vaguely necessary to speak to me directly.

"I have it because I intend to make up for your poor performance in the field. Your operations and calculations are obviously flawed." An Atlesian Scientist wheeled in a large silver crate. "I will need to reboot you primary information processing matrix and recalibrate for more desirable response time in the feild."

"NO!"

The General looked down at me as if trying to tell if I was serious.

""No" what? Hold still Penny." He reached for me; I grabbed his wrist and pushed him back.

Sighing as if his television just wouldn't tune properly he reached absently for a destabilizer. Which he then smartly prodded me with. I screamed in agony as each and every part of my body that was connected to my brain. I.E. all of it, overloaded.

As I was too weak to resist the general, I realized that it was over. A complete reboot of my primary information processing matrix would also wipe my entire memory core. Any information I have ever absorbed would be deleted. I would effectively die, and start back at square one.

"No…..please." I murmured as he turned my head to the right so that he could access the correct port, just behind my left ear.

I could hear a crunch, the sound of several delicate instruments falling to the ground and saw Mr. Ironwood fly across the room. I looked up to see a heavily bandaged and still bleeding Pyrra looming over me. Arched in a way that was protective, but also suggested that anything that touched her caused her great pain. She had punched the general in the chest and had taken the data chip from him. Pyrra was trying to break it in half, but lacked the dexterity for such a specific motion. I reached up and took the chip and snapped it quick as a flash.

"What is wrong with you soldier? Get back in that bed and stay there." Pyrra didn't move an inch. "And You! Penny that chip cost over eighty thousand Lien to produce and is one of a kind! You will give me an internal diagnostic of ALL of you cognitive functions right now!"

"NO Mr. Ironwood! I won't be ordered around by you like this! You know that that procedure would destroy everything I am!"

"You stupid thing, of course I know that, I've done it once before already!"

"You…. What? Why, when!" I was terrified, how old am I? How long have I been alive! Who did I forget?

"It was three years ago. You developed a 'pseudo emotional subroutine"' the program made you think you were in love with someone. Of course it was impossible for you to feel anything especially as you had developed feelings for a girl. So I had your memory wiped. But now I don't have the chip and I'll need to move you all the way back to Atlas for the full procedure."

The doors that Ironwoods scientist had closed behind them burst open. And Aideen stormed into the room, covered in blood and staring daggers at General Ironwood. She looked up at Pyrra.

"Thank you Major." I looked over to Pyrra to see that she had my scroll in her hand. It had an image of Grayson on the screen. She had called for help. Aideen then rounded on Mr. Ironwood.

"What is your problem? Just stick her new legs on and go back to Vale. Wiping her memory is out of the question, especially if she says no. She is a sentient being and will be treated with as much respeact as any Human or Faunus! Am I clear?"

"Are you mad? This is ridiculous, Penny is an inanimate object."

"Oh? 'Inanimate''' is synonyms with 'Lifeless''' would you really say that Penny is devoid of life?"

"I would absolutely!" Aidden smacked him, and then drew herself up to her full hight.

"I Commodore Aideen Phire of the still very much sea-worthy if a little outdated USS-_Equinox_ hereby declare my desire to marry Penny of Atlas." She turned to me. "If you agree then you will be taken into my house and have no obligation to obey an order that may violate your religious beliefs, and I will gladly teach my religious beliefs to you my dear." She smiled bemusedly at me.

The general glowered at Aideen. "You may be the Captain of you own ship, but you can't marry her without at least being on it, those are the Atliesian traditions anyway."

"Well I'm not from Atlas, I'm from Avia."

"Where?"

"Never you mind Ironwood."

"Yes well as I am Pennys' caretaker I will not permit the match unless custom is followed." He smirked in a victorious sort of way.

"Hmm I'm not giving you the chance to sink my ship, it is an historical artifact and rather important to me, so-"

Smiling mutinously at the General she tugged off her boots and pulled out the shoals. They were made of wood. She picked me up and held me as she stepped back onto the two pieces of her ship's deck, then smirked at Mr. Ironwood.

"Ridiculous. Absolutely absurd."

"Oh I do agree but I've been in this boat before" The general rolled his eyes at the very poor pun. "You can see the part of the deck I cut these from if you want Daddy J." The General was steaming with anger. "So Penny wanna make this thing official or what? Remember, divorces happen."

I couldn't believe how fast she had come up with this solution; it was so automatic for her.

"How? I mean like, how did you come up with this idea so fast?"

Aideen looked at me gravely, tucking her chin in slightly. It gave her an aged apperance. "I'm really old Penny. My actual birth predates history. I've had to think on my feet like this for millennia. It becomes second nature." She seemed to brood over something for several seconds. "But enough chit-chat wddaya say baby? Wanna get hitched?"

"Um, I do, ye-" She cut me off with a kiss.

I had never been kissed before. I wasn't sure what to do with myself. It was a nice feeling; a good fee-It was exhilarating! I tried kissing back, and I guess I did ok. I tried to turn a little but our noses got in the way. Then she backed off. My mind was very blank. I registered a line of saliva between our lips. I hurriedly kissed it off. Aideen thought it was hilarious. She threw her head back and laughed.

"HA! Hahaha! Penny baby was that your first kiss? Well don't you look bemused! Hehehe."

I looked up to see that Mr. Ironwood was gone. I guess he had stormed out when he lost direct control of me.

Aideen placed me gently back on the bed, and turned to pick up Pyrra who had collapsed. After making certain Major Nikos was stable she sat down next to me.

"Well basically the only part of my religious beliefs that you need to remember are that you may not undergo major medical changes of any nature without your spouse's approval. And I'll approve anything that you want me to. But gosh I might be the last person on Remnent who follows the faith. She frowned again looking older than ever. I've got you back sweetie. But remember I can only play this card while I'm you wife. If I blow up again you'll need to marry me or someone else quickly. Or else ironwood will sweep in and snatch you up lickity split."

"Yes captain."

"Oh my gawd Penny I really am you wife, you can call me Aideen if you want."

"Um, OK Mrs. Aideen."

Aideen stared blankly at me in mild disbelief for several seconds. Then face planted herself into my bed.

"Whats Avia?"

"Hm? Oh! Well it's not anything anymore, I was born there but in the turning of the sun and moon and the rise and fall of empires, the always flowing ocean consumed my home. Avia has been hidden beneath the waves for several thousand years. I'm the only person in the world who can still find it, actually my ship the _Equinox_ was built there once upon a time. It is filled with artifacts of my people, though some are in museums throughout the world, surviving the flow of time just like I am. "

"I see, that's fascinating… I need to tell you something. It's about Ruby, you see I-"

"Yea yea I know you like her and its fine. I can just say the banishment words when you decide to leave my House, but you don't need to worry about me kicking you out. I don't care to see your memory wiped. You have all the same right as me or Ruby. I'll always fight for equality."

"Thank you Captain Phire."

She smiled then sat up in a businesslike way.

"Well we won the fight. The Grimm got thrown back." She slid her smile up evilly as she giggled over some piece of information that had just animated her face.

"Domino squad will be arriving tomorrow night."

I looked down at her in terror. "RUBY IS COMING?"

"Hehehehe. Yep."

"Aideen you can't be serious can you?"

"Of course I am…. Mrs. Penny _Phire_." It annoyed me greatly how she put emphasis on her last name. MY last name.

"I just want to be a Rose!" I cried.

"I'm telling Ruby you said that." Aideen declared resolutely.

If ever I felt afraid it would have been right then and there. No one would have to wait for anything more stressful ever.

**Odin**

The cold wind howled around me. My armies stood restless in the snow, they could sense something nearby, but it was of little concern. No mortal army could match this gathering. A messenger walked over to me and bowed.

"Master, the Emperor has called you forth."

"Of course he has. You are dismissed."

I waited several minutes before standing and walking at a mortals pace to the old watchtower that our new Emperor had taken residence in. I was shortly joined by an old acquaintance. He joined me in my stride.

"Odin."

"Thoth." He looked as much the librarian as ever, his mask in the shape of an Ibis. His armor was pale and slightly gray. Indeed he himself looked like an old scroll, rolled up and slipped onto a dusty shelf.

"I imagine our new Emperor summoned you as well O All father?"

"Hmph. Yes, he does enjoy calling us like servants."

"Indeed, but let us remember that our own banners we call upon as we call our servants do we not?"

"I neither need nor want a lesson on patience from you Wise One. I will conduct myself as I always did before the Great Sleep took us."

Thoth lapsed into peaceable silence. Once we arrived at the tower the guards outside addressed us.

"You are late, his majesties ordered tha-"

"Shut up Alexiares, don't think that your position at that door puts you above us, you're a guard, not a god."

"Hmm yes O young ones we are you betters, this has always been and will always be. Now stand aside."

The guards parted with tense shoulders at their chastisement. We entered the tower and began to ascend.

"Curious stonework is it not Odin? It can only be mortal work."

"Yes. It may prove annoying if we have to deal with this level of ingenuity later."

"It is likely that we will have to deal with worse and at greater heights. I have received distressing news as of late concerning the strength of mortal walls."

"Oh yea your family has still not surfaced?"

"Alas they have not, but as you have already deduced it is due to my extensive search for the chambers of Amun-Ra and Mut and Osiris that have afforded me greater knowledge of our pestilent foes strengths."

"I'd forgotten how long-winded you are."

"Ah and I had forgotten how um, to the point you are."

"If only everyone was like me, things would actually get done."

"I wouldn't let the Emperor hear that if I wear you 'Borrson'."

I looked down the stairs for the source of the familiar female voice.

"Xi Wangmu? I thought you were dead!"

"The tale of my alleged demise was greatly exaggerated 'Borrson'."

Thoth turned to look at the goddess of longevity.

She was beautiful as always, her mask was entirely smooth and oval in shape, her armor was pale as cloud made solid. He arms hang languidly at her sides. She was the very embodiment of grave, and was well renowned for her lightning-fast reflexes.

"That is just it O Mother of the West, we have heard no tales of or about you at all. Your chambers and the isle upon which they were located have disappeared beneath the waves. Avia is no more."

"I see, well I am glad that I have found you, but what is this talk of Mortals dominating the globe, and an Emperor as well? This thing has not happened since the world was young."

"It is too long a tale to tell of now, our Emperor has, well 'summoned"' us to his place in this tower."

"I see." She quickened her pace as the three of us began to ascend faster.

Once we reached the summit of the tower it was to see that we had arrived last. I stepped forward and announced Xi Wangmu's return.

"Look here my brethren, The Mother of the West is returned to us, Xi Wangmu has survived the sleep!"

A great murmuring broke out among the guest, who were many in number and deed.

Zeus, with a mask of bone that seemed to crown him in blank lightning bolts.

Poseidon, whose mask took the shape of a Squid.

Hera, who wore a mask shaped as a woman's face.

Aries, his mask shaped as a helm for war.

Hephaestus, he wore a mask and armor that had the look and consistency of raw marble.

Athena, she like Aries was clad in a mask shaped as a war helm, she carried her fabled shield Aegis.

Thor, his winged mask had a great crack in it, his hands rested on Mjolnir's pommel as its head rested on the floor.

Loki, his horned mask was missing a horn. He stood with a great book open in his hands, it smelled of mortals.

My own father, Borr, his mask, mine and Thor's all looked the same, with minor details difference.

And lastly all standing on a low dais above as all the chief family of the Emperor and his wife.

Eligos, a Duke in title his mask was of a wolf and carried a spear.

Botis, his mask's teeth were pointed and overlarge, two horns stood atop his head. He wore a sword.

Sallos, with the mask of a crocodile.

Purson, a disgraced king his mask was as a lions, he wore an axe.

And lastly, our new rulers, Windigo and his wife Medusa. They stood proudly above us all, and even if we betrayed them right in this instant they would die sound in the knowledge that they well and truly had ruled us and would laugh at us even in death.

Windigo had a sullen starved appearance; his mask even had a hungry look to it. In his right hand he carried a sword that was not his and in his left a shield equally stolen. I recognized the sword, or cutlass as belonging to the king Davy Jones who was destroyed by the demon Phoenix in the years before the sleep that imprisoned us all within our own halls. The shield was obviously of Olympian origin, though I did not know who its rightful owner was.

Medusa's mask was sleek and smooth; her hair was bound in carven bone shaped like snakes. She wore a whip, I felt I had seen it in Apollo's possession once but could not be sure. Windigo raised his head and spoke. His voice was level and sure, calculating.

"Welcome back to the waking world Xi Wangmu, I am your Emperor Windigo. This is your Empress Medusa. You may take your place beside Hera."

Xi Wangmu paused for a moment without speaking then strode carefully to Hera's side.

"Now that you are here I must inform you that Hades has left us, his vendetta towards the Phoenix has driven him to act alone. He failed. It is likely that the Phoenix has recovered the sword that was taken from it in the twilit war. And even more than that the fortress that Hades was to garrison has been taken by the enemy. Charon is attempting to take it back but I do not believe that he can reclaim it alone, I have already dispatched Phobos, demos and Atalanta to bolster Charon's efforts. I believe that the mortals will break under this force, most likely in utter terror of the size of the army. Of course it is upsetting that we have lost the resorce of Hades unique sight, but we will still prevail over the foolish mortals, if not quickly then at a more moderate pace. Borr, Odin, Thor, Zeus and Athena I want you to take the tunnel at the base of this mountain into the settlement known as Vale, you will have to do digging at the end of the tunnel as it has both collapsed and been sealed more securely by the mortals.

Loki, Hephaestus, Poseidon I want you to take our entire armada to the swirling strait, a cave system opened up in the cliffs as my army passed it during a storm, I observed obvious signs of stonework and some of it looks like ours that has been repaired by mortal kind. Its upper levels bore inscriptions of a volcano in the sky; I want you to determine if that volcano exists and if so where it is. If it is found and made operational return to me here, I could make use of a flying fortress. Until then I will remain in this place. My army will cover the entrance into the tunnels so that no force can take our forces inside buy surprise."

He stood.

"You are dismissed."

**Ozpin **

I sat in my office listening to the gears above my click, clang and rattle. I watched out over the cliffs of my school and waited. The doors to my lift opened. I turn around. My guest was quite shapely; her mask was shaped as a skull crossed with a helmet. She carried a spear in her left hand and a gladius in her right.

"Artemis, I'm glad you came. Is there anything I can offer you?"

"No Lord Ozpin."

"Oh no I'm not a lord, I'm a Headmaster."

"What is the distinction?"

"Well you see I am a head teacher, I preside over this school and am its chief authority."

"Ah… I am still not sure how that is any different but, as you say." She shrugged.

"Well now when I got the message from Aideen I was quite surprised. Please explain in your own words you reason for being here."

She sheathed her sword and lay down her spear.

"I wish to die. But I wish for your kind to live. I wish to die either fighting alongside you, or at your hand once the fighting is over. I believe that the Immortals are wrong to take domination as our birthright. We are blights upon the world. We take, but do not create. Our names come from you mortals, all of our culture comes from you, and once eons ago, we protected you, nurtured you. But when you no longer needed us, we punished you for it. When you began to rise from infancy into manhood we grew angry. It was wrong of us. We gave the order for the lesser ones, 'Grimm''' as you call them to eat your kinds flesh when it became apparent that the twilit war was lost to us. You do not need us, but we need you. But I am the only one of my kind to feel this way, and so I will help you destroy my kin. So that you, who I still view even now as my precious children, can rise and create and flourish as you were meant to.

If you will have me."

She dropped to her knees. I stood and walked around my desk to her. And for the first time in my life I extended my hand down to a Grimm to help. Tenderly, as if she viewed me as fragile, she took my hand as I pulled her upright.

"Welcome to Beacon Academy Artemis. I have a place for you hear on campus if you would take it. I am in need of an expert on Monarch class Grimm, and you fit the bill rather well."

"I trust your judgment on this Headmaster. I will do as you feel is best."

"Thank you."

The sun shone through the corridors of Beacon as I lead Artemis to her new classroom. The students looked shocked and many drew their weapons in response to Artemis's presence. But she did not seemed troubled by the hostile display. Indeed she took it all in stride.

This world is changing and rapidly so. The war to come may yet be called the Dawning war. Because if I am right in trusting Artemis then it is likely that remnant will be able to rid itself of Grimm forever. I cannot possibly have awaited any future more anxiously than this one.

The wait positively kills me.

A.N.

So sorry for the wildly long wait(It is so ironic that you had to wait for this one. Look at the last sentence yo!), this has been finished for weeks, but I had THOUGHT I updated the chapter on the 5th (My birthday) And when I went back to look I was SOOOOO wrong! It didn't I donno "Click" or something, well either way it's here now and I hope you enjoy, I wrote an extra-long chapter this time, for my birthday. Well I really just split chapter 10 in half and put it on the end of 9 but details don't matter. Also please do comment I would very much like to know what you think.


	10. Chapter 10 Heros

R.W.B.Y.

A bleak end

10

Hero

**Yang**

The wind whispered as the snow shimmered beneath the sun. The army below had split off five minutes ago, one third out of the mountains, one to remain and the last entered the mountain below us. C.F.V.Y. scouted out the area and found a cave system beneath us. Which from what we could tell hooked up with an ancient tunnel. Fox suggested it might be an ancient highway, that was used by the Grimm in days long gone. C.R.D.L. and Sun were still three hours away. And C.F.V.Y. was ten minutes away scouting the area.

"Silas, I'm done waiting"

"Coco said to wait."

"I don't care."

"It's dangerous."

"Thanks captain obvious."

"Oh? I'm the captain now? Alright I forbid this talk of mutiny."

"Shut up smart ass. I never said you had to come with me."

"I was never trying to stop you from going."

I look across the makeshift igloo at Silas in complete surprise. Nora and Nina looked worried. Silas smiled slightly.

"We might want to hurry before Coco stops us Captain."

"Hmp tries to stop us you mean… Nora, Nina, Silas, to the caves nearest our location. We need to move quickly and quietly if want to avoid detection."

Within ten minutes the four of us were creeping along as softly as possible through caves and tunnels at least three thousand years old. Every plip of water sounded like a rock being dropped onto the floor. Even our light footsteps seemed over-loud in the dark space. Silas was leading as his eyes worked best in the gloom. After an hour of silent maneuvering we came out of the caves into a ruined stone building, deep underground. Nora walked over to the limestone window and peered out apprehensively.

"Cha see Nora?" I hissed quietly.

"Nothing, we're behind the army."

Nina poked me in the side.

"What?"

"I was trying to get an Idea of how many are ahead of us from the vibrations they make by moving, I estimate that they're five miles ahead of us, but I've never tried to get a headcount on this many Grimm before, so I'll need to get closer to give you their numbers Cap'."

"Alright cool, then let's move, Nina I want you to keep an eye out for a rout that takes us strait to the Monarchs K'? Silas I… you have my permission to go berserk only after we take out the head honchos got it?"

"Hmm. Yes ma'am." Silas agreed gravely.

"Good, let's start moving and for crying out loud move _quietly_." We stepped into darkness.

**Ruby**

"Captain Rose we're beginning our descent."

My head jerked up from the seat I had been resting it on.

"OK, thanks pilot." The Bullheads co-pilot stepped back into the cockpit.

I stood up and brushed my armor off. A thin layer of dust had settled on it after we touched down to pick up team C.R.D.L. who like Domino squad had stood up in preparation to land at the pilots appearance.

"Hey uh, Dove? Your closest to the door panel, once we get below cloud level could you open the outer hatches? I want a good view of the terrain." Dove shrugged. "OK, whatever Rose."

Blake frowned at Dove but made no comment on his disregard for respect.

A minute or two passed and the meter on the door turned from blue to white to green. We had dropped below the clouds. Dove opened the doors.

The sight was abysmal.

Below our ship smoked a battlefield. The black vapor could only have one source, dead Grimm, I could see what must have once been a field of green before Pyrra led her forces to help capture and garrison the fortress we were bound for this very minute. But all that remained of the grass was a muddy brown heap, fringed with a thin line of dead yellow grass. The desolation left in the wake of the battling armies appalled me.

We descended onto a landing platform newly installed onto Fresh wind retreat. The eight of us stepped down from the ship as it lifted back off of the platform to make way for an ordinance drop. Several soldiers and droids rushed up to take the ammunition to the armory.

Two familiar faces rushed to greet us, Jean and Cassandra.

"Hey Ruby what's up?"

"Not much, just getting ready to depart again, I was ordered to relieve team C.F.V.Y. of their scouting duties." Cardin stepped up.

"And we were sent to bolster the Wreakers." He sounded annoyingly smug. I tried to ignore his tone but it got kinda difficult when he turned to Domino squad and sneered at us.

"Don't worry, 'Scouts' we'll kill the big bad monsters for you."

Before I could snap back at him Jean surprised me by speaking instead.

"Hey 'Auxiliary team C.R.D.L.' your scheduled for a debriefing on the information you'll need to back up the primary squads without dying. You'll need to go down to the command center. And remember Cardin. You are here because there is no one else who can be called in, not because you're our first option."

Cardin scowled but did not dare to argue with a Major. He led his team between two columns and disappeared around a corner.

"Oooh thank you so much big handsome Major Arch." I mock-cooed, but he smiled all the same.

"Ruby I think you should come with me to the hospital wing, someone there is asking for you."

Within five minutes the six of us approach the doors to the fortress infirmary. Cassandra approaches and pushes the doors open to admit us. And sitting on the far end of the room, wearing only the smallest amount of skin tight military grade smallclothes designed to preserve their modesty but only barley their privacy, were Pyrra and Penny.

They both looked bad. Pyrra'a body was shot through with fading white scar tissue; her red hair was only centimeters long and had the soft bristled look of being freshly grown.

Penny looked fine with one outstanding detail. Her body from just above her belly button and below her rib cage was silver. Her skin did not cover that ring of her body, and she was concentrating with what was obviously all of her might to move her legs in a series of directions, forward, back, side to side, in circles. I also noticed a tattoo one both her right side against her ribs and a second mark on her right thigh. The upper read '01'" and the lower read '02.5'". And then I put it together. Penny had just been put back together.

"Hey… wait a minute… Oh my gosh! PENNY!" I shot across the room to Penny's side afraid to touch her for fear of injuring her further.

Penny who had been very focused on her legs had not noticed that we had entered the room, so my sudden appearance out of thin air took her completely by surprise. She whipped around with a shrill and sharp gasp, lost her balance and almost tumped over onto the floor, except that I had reached out and grabbed her shoulders to steady her.

"PENNY! Penny why can't I take my eyes off of you for a week without you getting chopped in half!?"

Penny blinked in surprise and then seemed to sigh in relief. As if she had dodged a bullet…

"Friend Ruby, it is so good to see you!"

"Yea… It's good to see you to Penny." I step back "Now what else did you not intend to tell me?"

Pyrra's lips tucked firmly in on themselves as if trying not to smile.

"Well?" I could see the doors to the room quietly shut in my peripheral vision… then they exploded of their hinges and jerked to a halt, held in place by chains that typically might be used to help secure the ward.

We all jerked around in surprise to see a woman with silvery hair like starlight who wore an oddly familiar wizard's hat and pirate's coat. She hefted a sword onto her shoulder, and then pointed at me with her free hand and a deviant's smile.

"You get yer hands off my wife you sloot!" She seemed barely able to contain laughter.

I turned slowly towards Penny, whose face was draining of what little color it possessed. I grabbed Crescent Rose by its stock and began to swing it at Penny's head and neck.

"Why- did-that-girl-call-you-her-WIFE!?" I punctured each word with a blow from my makeshift club, Penny staggered angrily towards the mysterious woman who I intended to shoot in retribution for this act of brazen theft.

"Aideen! You promised you would let me tell her! You mean awful-awful- BITCH!"

I paused in my assault of Penny to gawk in surprise. Penny never used foul language. She must be very upset with this Aideen girl… Woman.

Aideen shrugged. "I saw a golden opportunity to make it fun and memorable. So I took it."

I realized that she had closed the door with the express purpose of kicking them in and causing a scene.

Jean turned to Pyrra and engaged her in conversation; Aideen walked over to Penny and hefted her onto a bed in a sitting position then gestured for me to do the same. I sat.

"So long story short Ruby; General Ironwood was goanna wipe Penny's memory or hard-drive or whatever caus' she was not performing up to his standerd of 'Warrior death machine', so I married her to stop him. You see Ironwood can't do anything to my kin without my permission and that includes memory wiping. He almost refused to replace Penny's legs but Pyrra convinced him otherwise." Aideen chuckled, "She's a tough girl that pyrra."

Penny turned to me with an apology in her eyes but I held up my hand stopping her, I looked to Aideen.

"Thank you for saving her, I had the feeling that Ironwood viewed Penny as more machine than person. And it would seem my suspicions were not baseless. You have team R.W.B.Y.'s gratitude." Blake nodded vigorously and a familiar voice agreed as well.

"Indeed you do have our thanks Captain Phire." I positively exploded with joy.

"Weiss!" I leapt across the room into her arms. She dumped me onto a bed and then scoffed at me.

"Ruby you need to get ready to leave, team C.F.V.Y. is almost here and you'll need to move quickly to find Yang." I frowned worriedly at the word "Find".

"_Find_ Yang. Why? is she missing?!" Aideen answered.

"Sorta, Coco found some tunnels that join up with the subterranean road that an army of Grimm entered. We think Yang took her squad inside and if she did it will compromise her position. Ozpin agrees that the Wreakers could easily flatten the army, it's the monarchs that we need to worry about, Nina and Nora simply aren't fast enough to fight Monarchs in an enclosed space and win. We fear that Silas could bring the mountain down on his own head and we don't believe Yang could bring herself to leave her team behind if they get trapped. She could die down there. All of them could." She frowned, all playfulness gone.

The atmosphere in the room shifted, moments before it was a lighthearted reunion of friends, but now all that remained was a roomful of soldiers. We could only hope that our next move was met with success.

**Neptune**

The waves crashed around the hull of my ship, the vessel rocked and pitched in the waves. I stood at the bridged of the vessel. A droid (Sleek and new) approached me.

"Major Vasilias sir our long rang sensors have detected what appear to be ships. However we have not deemed them a threat to our mission and will discontinue our scans."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Why aren't they a threat?"

"The ships are made of wood sir."

"So?"

"Sir I do not understand your inquiry."

"So what if they're mad of wood, let's check em out."

"Sir our mission is-"

"Our mission isn't going anywhere ok; if a giant flying volcano has been buried underground for the last millennium then it's not going anywhere. Now what direction are those ships sailing?"

"On a course parallel with our own, but their trajectory will take them to the Swirling strait, the south side of the island vs. our destination, the fishing village on its east coast."

"What's in the swirling strait chief?"

"Whirlpools sir, but my database informs me that they are out of season. They are only present during the late winter months."

"Uh, alright then, lets follow those wooden ships and try to get a visual on them. If they are civilians then we'll just adjust course and head for the fishing village. And hey how many of them are there?"

"Three hundred eleven Major."

"Whoa! Really?"

"Yes sir."

"Okay then, power up the weapons and intercept that armada, there is no chance those are civilian ships."

I stepped out of the bridge onto the deck to see my droids arming the ship for battle, cannons where rising up onto the deck from below and more barrels began to stick out of the starboard and port sides. A huge disk rose out of the dorsal section, it crackled electrically for a few seconds then settled into a low hum. I smiled; shield emitters were the height of cool.

The ship began to speed up. I waited for half an hour. Then all at once both the island and the armada came into view. It looked bad, even if those ships where low tech (Lumber actually) it would still be tough to fight off three hundred vessels with only one. But I had little time to think about it. Half of the fleet dropped back and began to turn towards me. I smiled as I pulled my goggles down over my eyes.

"All hands prepare for battle! Destroy all enemies and take none alive!"

Thunder roared before me and specks of black raced towards my ship with all speed, I called for my ships to return fire. They did.

Our ship shuddered as the led charges exploded against our shields, our cannons boomed and almost as if responding to the sound a dozen ships erupted into flame and splinters. Twelve out of a-hundred and fifty, this might take a while.

"Target and destroy their most heavily armed ships! FIRE AT WILL!" My orders were carried out at once. But then one small enemy ship darted out from behind the lines of my foes and swerved in and out of the cannon fire.

"Target that one!" I roared. "Destroy the one that's coming right at us!" but for some reason it was impossible. My droids simply couldn't hit it. I readied my weapon.

"Prepare to be boarded! Cannons destroy the opposing fleet!" The small ship was under our shields it was almost upon us. "FIRE AT WILL!" The ship collided with us, and several figures launched up and on to the deck. A swarm of skeletal Grimm rushed onto the deck and fell into battle with my forces, but one Grimm stood out. Its mask was like a squid. The monster approached me and then stopped before me with a trident in its hands. It spoke.

"Name yourself Mortal."

"You first."

"I asked you first." Its-His voice had an annoyed tone.

"My ship, my rules."

"This ship is mine now Mortal."

"Nah, it's mine, you'll have to take it from me if you want to call it yours." I smiled.

"…I am Poseidon, lord and master of the ocean. Who are yo-"

I launched myself forward spinning. His trident met my poleaxe, which shifted into MY trident. I fired of the prongs, everything turned blue. My aura twitched, I spun around to block his attack from behind, and then threw him back. He was fast, but only as fast as me. He brought his trident down at me; I sidestepped in time to watch his weapon shear the deck open like paper, His shoulder was exposed, my left arm screamed out in pain, I vaguely noted my arm smacking dully to the deck of the ship Poseidon twitched out of my way as I tried to skewer his shoulder, I missed. With only one arm remaining I began to spin so fast that I couldn't keep track of what I was doing it was kill or be killed.

I kicked his knee; his clawed hand missed my throat by inches.

I cut his back from shoulder to hip; he kicked me into the air.

I was helpless for an instant; he was in the air with me.

He lifted his trident over his head with both hands; I stabbed him in the heart.

We fell to the ground, he was dead and if I didn't yank my trident out of him I'd be next. But it was embedded into him quite firmly so I gave up on it as a bad job and lifted his trident from the deck; I rushed up to the railing overlooking my ship's deck. It was chaos, machine and monster were locked in a vicious battle, on all sides I could see fire and mast and sails Grimm smoked everywhere and droids fritzed and twitched on the floor. I stood up on the rail and lifted Poseidon's trident into the air.

"You guys suck so much! Just kill yourselves and save me the trouble!" I was about to leap down and start hacking at the Grimm but before I could, to my shock. They reached up to their heads, weapons clattering to the ground, placed both of their hands on either side of their heads. They all jerked to one side or the other as they brock their own necks.

I stared in shock. Every single Grimm that had been led by Poseidon to stop me committed suicide… At my order. I rushed over to the corpse of Poseidon then hopped back a step. I was propped up on one arm, his red eyes glowing dully. The he took his free hand and, balling it into a fist, smashed his mask. It fell in pieces to the ground. It did not smoke. His face was indistinct. I couldn't quite make out what he looked like. Then he grimaced, spat blood onto the deck and began to talk.

"I do still believe that you have yet to introduce yourself."

"Uh, my name's Neptune Vasilias."

Poseidon grimaced again and then rolled onto his back, laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"Hehe, I was told by one of the Phoenix's that I would be my own doom. It is why I wanted to know your name before I fought you. I knew that one interpretation of that prophecy, or perhaps she was cursing me, was that I would be defeated by someone with my name. It would seem that my fears were correct. I have been defeated by a man with my own name, well done warrior." He continued to cough, but not in a way that looked like he was dying, he looked defeated yes, he looked as if he had accepted his fate true, and obviously he had a trident in his chest, but he still looked as if he was fit enough to stand up and pull the weapon out of himself.

"Uh, you dead yet?"

Poseidon looked up to me in contempt.

"Oh really now! Don't play the fool with me warrior!"

"Um. What?"

His eyes widened in disbelief then he shifted his body so as to take a deep breath, which he did, then he began to talk.

"We have rules whether we like them or not, as a high lord I cannot die unless it is by my own weapon, as you can see from the destruction of my army you possess my power. So if it is my death you wish then all you need id the trident in your own hand."

"Ah, I see. That's lame."

"Lame? How so?"

"Well I'm not gonna kill a dude when he's on the ground."

"Oh ho? So am I going to get my weapon back so that we might dance the dance of death again?"

"Uh, no. But tell me can I like make you my slave or something?"

A dark look crossed Poseidon's face.

"Yes you can warrior, but it is the greatest disgrace that you can cast on me. But if you wish it I can do nothing to stop you."

"Uh well I do want you alive, but I don't want to enslave you unless that's my only option."

The fallen Monarch looked up at me in shock.

"you would spare me AND grace me? What kind of warrior are you mortal?"

I smiled.

"I'm not," I plunged his trident into the deck, and then yanked mine out of his chest. "I'm a Huntsman."

He rose and his wounds seemed to be smoking in reverse. As if smoke from nowhere was rushing to his chest. I tossed him my trident. He caught it. I reached for his and began to head below decks.

"Hey Po? Grab my arm why don't you. I need to get that re-attached." I descended into the medical bay.

**Arslan**

The bell tolled for students to be in their classes. I sat stiffly in my chair as the Monarch below me adjusted her long white robe. Her name was Artemis, but we had been asked to refer to her as "Professor Maiden" It chilled me to the bones sitting so close to this monster.

"Pst, Altan." I looked up to the girl trying to get my attention. It was Vitoria Midnight. A girl with deep blue hair combed back against her head, her ears were like bats and her teeth were all filed to points. She was rather pretty, despite her teeth.

"What?"

"Do you know what were even here for? What could that freak have to teach US?"

"I have no doubt that if we sit still and listen we will find out." I turned away from her, however she continued to badger her partner Eve Green (A girl with long orange hair braided down the front of her chest), long after the bell stopped tolling and the rest of the class had stopped talking to wait for Beacons newest teacher to begin her… Lesson.

Professor Maiden lifted a scroll awkwardly in front of her then asked in a calm voice. "Your name is Miss Midnight correct?"

Vitoria flinched around quickly towards the front of the class in response to the inquiry.

"Uh, yes?"

"I would have thought that you would know your own name, and that you would know the rules of this ah 'school' as well. When the last bell sounds you shall cease to make sound. Are we clear my lady?"

Everyone stared in shock. Her voice was positively musical. It had a familiar ring to it, and sounded perfectly natural at chastisement. As if parenting behavior was second nature. She noticed the staring and set the scroll down on the desk, then her hands on her hips.

"What did I do THIS time that you see as so very strange?"

A girl with dark skin (Like my own) And green hair raised her hand.

"Yes miss…?"

"Emerald Sustrai. Well it's your voice. Er Professor, I don't know what we expected, but you don't sound…" She seemed to have no way of describing what she meant, but I also noticed a brunette sitting next to her had given her a strange look, and the gray haired boy with them seemed to find it amusing.

Someone else picked up were Emerald left off, Bolin my partner.

"Well we grew up being terrified of Grimm like you, and all of us make a carrier out of fighting you kind, so I guess while we had no REAL expectations we also expected something… Intimidating."

All through my partners explanation Artemis had been leaning against the front of her desk. Her chin tucked against her collar and her hands placed demurely against her lap. Then she gently bobbed forward away from her desk and she walked around to her chalkboard. She began to write upon it as she spoke.

"Humanity has no known origin, some Monarchs or as we once called ourselves 'Shards' believe that we were created by human beings long ago, and that not even the Faunus are from whatever version of our world came before this one. However all of OUR stories, legends, myths, tales and every other form of information regarding ourselves are much more recent than our OWN stories OF humanity. It is the belief of Monarchs that we are remnants of an ancient past wherein humanity had mastered the sciences and created us. We do have records of a cataclysm that positively rocked the world. But that is where we, that is to say I and all other Monarchs, come to a parting of the ways. They believe that we were created either by the fancy of humanity or as servants, slaves, soldiers, or some other form of had laborer. I am not so sure myself, however this much is quite clear. Humanity was born twice. I know for a fact that they, that is to say you, are the true elder race. But this is not acceptable to other Monarchs. They remember only too well that WE raised you the second time. WE protected and loved you and we ruled you. And you worshiped us. Then one day it became clear that mortal kind, Human and Faunus alike, no longer needed us. It had been a difficult trial that they faced. The Titans had threatened all of us, Monarch and mortal the same, then in one last effort, when the Monarchs had been routed and had fallen back to reorganize. The last mortals stood strong and rose up against the threat of the Titans. We-" Professor Maiden had notice a hand standing in the air. Yes miss…?

The girl's hair was silver and almost looked like it would glow in the dark, her skin had a similar pasty look to it. She wore a Beacon uniform but with a long skirt which fell to her ankles. "Tien Deva, What are Titans?"

"Ah an excellent question actually I am sorry I had forgotten that much of our collective history is lost to you. Titans once were giant constructs that were attempting to wipe out all life; they burned forest, drained lakes and killed ANY living thing that they detected. When I was a small girl I watched a Titan falling into the sky, my elder sister Hera said it was falling from the moon, I was told that there had been a colony on the moon and that the mortals on it must have fled into the deepest tunnels to survive. Hera guessed that the Lunar Titan was responsible for the sordid state the moon is in, in its mad drive to murder any life it detected… And she also believed that it had either only just finished slaughtering the lunar colony OR had somehow detected life on the surface after its long exile in orbit. And so it leapt from some point on the moon and back down to Remnant. Fortunately it did not survive the fall. But… It more than took a few lives. It transformed a city into a crater. It was a disaster, and even more devastating is that you MUST kill a Titan only after you destroy its eyes, some mechanism attached to a Titans eyes informs all other Titans on its location the moment it ceases to function so that its work can be finished. But alas the Lunar Titans eyes survived intact, and even as mortals and Monarchs swarmed the place to make sure the Titan could-not transmit its location and to rescue any survivors, three Titans appeared. Thousands died via the impact, thousands more died vie the Titans. Now you see what Titans are. However that is all that CAN be known about them. None cared where they came from, who built them or why. Only that they were during that age the ultimate evil.

Now I do believe I was at the part were mortals rose up against the Titans? Yes well it was not the first time that they had used dust as a weapon, but it was the first time that they fought without despair, only nine or ten thousand mortals remained at that point. And they were fighting the very last of the Titans. The last four and they were the largest, the Lion, Gryphon, Serpent and the Badger. The badger made the very ground quake he brought rockslides and reshaped the battlefield every few seaconds, the serpent slipped in and out of the sea and the lakes drowning fighters on mountain cliffs, the Gryphon was terror from on high lifting dislodged fragments of our world and hurling them down into the chaos. and the Lion crushed fortresses as easily as you might crush a toy-castle. All of mortality should have ended that day, but as I said it was the day that they out grew us, they had also out grown the Titans. With sword, mace, scythe, cudgel, flail, spear, bow, whip, and shear raw determination. They did now die in droves as the Monarchs expected, they suffered losses true, but with each loss they gathered strength. Mortal kind took heart from the deathblows dealt and dispensed furious retribution in the form of total victory. They had won. When the Monarchs came down into the valley of the last battlefield, in the land of Avia, they did so to scold the mortals to rage at them for their foolishness. The monarchs were ill received by the Mortals. A fight almost broke out then and there, but instead the monarchs left Avia to the rest of the empty world. And for millennia Mortals flourished in an age of unequivocal prosperity and joy. And so from the now settled dust of the war against the Titans Humanity was born anew."

Professor Maiden lifted the front cover of the same history textbook that sat in front of all of us, lifted her mask off of her face to reveal monochrome features, then smiled.

"Of course after that you are well enough versed. The twilight wars are the events that take place in between the time of the Avian empire and today and it will be those centuries of knowledge that I will be imparting onto you specifically. Now however you know about some parts of not only your own, but _our_ own past. I can see that a piece of the story is still missing, that all of us, Humans, Faunus, Titans and Monarch alike are by products of a forgotten past, but I don't know that I quite care about the first part of our tale. The here and now is most important and right now we are faced with a new war. The Monarchs however are the enemies in this chapter of history."

The bell for the day to end tolled. I jumped into awareness, through the windows filtered a dusty orange light that warmed me. Students had begun to move through the halls to their dorms or the dining hall for dinner. But our class remained quite still. I was sure that many of the student's present might have sat through the history lesson without taking in a word of it, however it was clear by the stillness in the room that all present had listened, probably because it was a part of history so new to us that we couldn't help but listen. Someone came through the door.

"Ah welcome to my classroom Headmaster. I was successful in getting through my entire first lesson in just one day, I hope this pleases you." Professor Ozpin laughed pleasantly.

"While it is good that your class went well if it pleases you then that's good enough, my personal satisfaction in you work is not quite so important."

"Ah yes, well as you say Headmaster." Artemis seemed slightly uncomfortable in a strangely shy way.

"Now I came down to show you how to take the roll for class, it was not in my directory and I realized that I had forgotten to show you how to perform this particular task." He reached up to rub the bridge of his nose warily.

"Headmaster why don't you take a seat?" Artamis had stood up, rather quickly to offer her chair to Ozpin who nodded gratefully and sat down. Lifting the scroll that Artemis had seemed so awkward holding he began to call roll.

"Arslan Altan." "Hear." I replied.

"Bolin Hori." "Hear."

"Reese Chloris." "Sup?"

"Nadir Shiko." "Hear."

"Excellent team A.B.R.N. is present. Now."

"Cinder Fall." "Hear."

"Emerald Sustrai." "Hear."

"Mercury Black." "Hear."

"Very good, now."

"Vitoria Midnight." "Hear."

"Eva Green." "Present."

"Tien Deva." "Hear."

"Laron King." A young man who sat so far behind me I could not see him properly. "Hear."

Professor Ozpin. Nodded his approval and stood to leave, the class did the same. As my team rose to leave behind Emerald and her friends I tuned to speak to the remaining four.

"So uh, what's your team name?"

The girl Eva responded in a kind smooth voice.

"Vitoria and I are on team G.R.V.E. and Tien and Laron are on team C.S.T.L. professor Ozpin had some sort of special assignment that had to do with research but he told us that we would be starting these lessons instead, I can only assume that these classes are as good as the research or else make any research redundant. And so here we are." She smiled pleasantly. We entered the now bustling hallway; the two members of C.S.T.L. had disappeared like a ghost and a thief into the crowd.

Eva's partner Vitoria called to her.

"Hey hurry up!"

"If you will excuse me." Eva inclined her head politely then bustled off to join her friend.

Reese prodded me with her elbow.

"Waddid you think about the history lesson?"

"I think it was informative, but we still could do more good out in the field rather than being cooped up in School all day."

Nadir shrugged in response to this. "Knowledge is as useful a tool against these Monarchs as experience."

To that I had no good reason to disagree so I lead the way down to the cafeteria in silence as my team discussed the tales of long dead but victorious heros behind me.

A.N.

It has been a while between chapters I know, but hey you can't rush art. I was at an annoying writers block as far as what I wanted to have happen in this chapter so I just had to wait for the block to lift. Obviously this is more than a cute romance between Ruby and Penny, but then again the name is "A bleak end" not "CopperRose" or else" Awkward afternoons". Shure it's a love story, but it's the best kind of love story. It tells about love you have to wait for. That you have to earn. And it tells more than one love story. Also as the story gets longer, so too will you be able to guess at the tone and mood of the story as a whole. I do have some groundwork planned for this after all and I'll tell you how it goes.

1-20, 21-30, 31-40. After that I'm not to sure if I'll keep going. We'll just see wont we?


End file.
